They Called Her Estaliel
by Queen Aralias
Summary: When Lord Elrond has an idea to travel back to the Grey Havens, he asks Legolas, his sister Estaliel, an elf named Amithriel, Merry, Pippin, and Gimli to join him. Little do Estaliel and Amithriel know that they are being set up for the complete matchmaking experience, produced by Lord Elrond.
1. The Voice In Rivendell

**Hey! My first chapter of my first story! Hope you enjoy the story that reveals more about Legolas's family and mother. This is dedicated to my friend that I met on Pandora (I am not going to mention her name) who is also a writer. This book goes to the ends of Middle Earth, behind the Shire and all the way to Menel Eru. I hope that anyone who reads this story will enjoy it! Sorry about it being a short chapter (am writing this in the middle of the night :0)And so it begins...**

 **BTW: Almost everything in this story belongs to Tolkien, Estaliel belongs to a friend of mine, and everything else is mine (even the dialog!) All elvish is from (thank you guys so so so so so so so much for your elvish help!).**

A cool breeze sifted through Lorien, it's beautiful halls being relieved of the never ending summer time forest heat. A figure with long wavy hair and a long silver gown stood on the balcony of the main courtyard. Her husband's hopes and dreams had been built in with the beautiful palace and it was one of her favourite places on Middle Earth. Unfortunately, he had died in battle long ago.

A young elf quietly walked to the fountain and watched as the older elf's thought traveled to distant lands and old times. She pitied her. Elves do not know much hardship in their lives as they do not die, but this elf had seen enough trials to make a body sick.

"I know you are there."

The sudden voice startled the young elf and she jumped.

"You know more than anyone else so I think your knowledge of my presence unfair."

"Oh? How so?" replied the firm yet quiet voice.

"You can read my mind and can sense when you are being sneaked up on. There, I am satisfied."

A rare laugh escaped the elf's lips. The young elf smiled at knowing she brought this elf joy. "Estaliel, if you wish to trick someone, you should stop trying to trick me, and attempt to trick someone else who does not have such hearing as I. I may be older but my hearing never fades."

A horn called from the main gates. The sound was all too familiar and Estaliel attempted to hide her disappointment but her friend cold read her thoughts.

"You are disappointed of the blower of the horn," the elf said.

"Amithriel," Estaliel groaned.

"What troubles you about Amithriel? He is a charming and proper elf."

"Lady Galadriel, I hardly expected you to be matchmaking!" exclaimed Estaliel.

"That is completely beside the question," Lady Galadriel said, turning red on her cheeks. "The question was was what troubles you about Amithriel?"

"He is too proper and prim for me and he has no sense of adventure. He reminds me of one of those hobbits who only care about getting their big bellies full at the end of the day." Estaliel chuckled to herself as she thought of the many rangers that had abandoned their posts at the Shire because of the unadventurous hobbits.

"Come now, many hobbits have been known to go on adventures. Look at dear Bilbo Baggins with the dwarves and then his cousin Frodo and Samwise Gamgee and Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took. They all went on adventures recently enough. And Bandobras Took! He invented golf!"

"Anyone could invent golf, Lady Galadriel," said Estaliel.

Lady Galadriel glided down to Estaliel and put an arm around her shoulders. "We should not keep our guest waiting any longer, Estaliel."

Estaliel rolled her eyes, but reluctantly followed her down to the main gates of Lorien.

She had known Amithriel since she was a wee child and the more she knew him the less she could stand him. He was very serious and hated tramping around Mirkwood Forest hunting the last of the hated orcs which was one of her favorite things to do. They were two complete opposites and she hated being around him. He didn't seem to particularly mind when she was around, just as long as they didn't have to do anything dangerous. But wasn't that what an elf's life was about? Danger? They could live forever and there would always be time for peace, but now she wanted adventure and danger and if she wanted that then that was what she would receive.

"My Lady Galadriel," said Amithriel, who kissed her offered hand.

At least he had a voice as sweet as music and a complexion as hansom as a flower.

"Amithriel, it is an honor to serve you in these great halls yet again," said Lady Galadriel. Estaliel held back a snort. "You remember Estaliel."

"That I do. It is an honor to become reacquainted with you, my lady."

She offered her his hand for him to kiss, and she thought about his spoken words. _Reacquainted?_ Why she had only seen him just last week.

"And it is an honor to be reacquainted with you, Amithriel," she smirked. Lady Galadriel nudged her in the ribs with a rather sharp elbow. She could've been a little kinder about the way she spoke to him.

"You become as beautiful as the Lady Galadriel herself every time I see you."

"You are very kind, Amithriel, but I am neither desiring nor worthy of your praises."

Lady Galadriel had had enough of the two bickering in their kind tones, so she slowly urged the group into the main courtyard. "Have you news of Lord Elrond yet, Amithriel?"

"Yes, in fact he has returned to Rivendell from his journey. That is why I am here. He would like Estaliel to go on a journey with him across Middle Earth."

For once in her knowing of Amithriel, this one thing he said was of interest. "A journey across Middle Earth?" she asked inquisitively.

"Yes, in fact he has asked the both of us to accompany him."

Estaliel kept her mouth from gaping open. Amithriel going on an adventure? Never! "Who else has he asked to be on the expedition?"

"Your brother Legolas and his dwarfish friend Gimli son of Gloin." Amithriel's voice held a tint of disgust for poor Gimli and Estaliel fought the urge to slap him. He had talked about her brother's friend as if he were trash and he expected her to go on a journey with her? The offer was irresistible but if she went she would have to ignore him the entire time.

"When do we leave?"

"Tomorrow morning," Amithriel answered, sounding a little too excited for her liking.

To Lady Galadriel's delight, Estaliel nodded. "I will join you at the front gate at the crack of dawn. If you fail to meet me there, then I will-"

She couldn't finish her sentence because the Lady Galadriel, knowing what she would say next, kicked her in the left shin. Estaliel hopped on her right leg in pain, and grasped her left leg in pain. "I will wait for you until you are properly dressed." She was going to say that she would leave without him, but Lady Galadriel didn't have the patience.

Amithriel bowed, and then headed off to his room. It was going to be a hard task working with Estaliel. But it was what Lord Elrond wanted. He probably wanted to see the two of them be wed before the journey's end but he could never marry Estaliel. She was too adventurous for him and he didn't want to ruin his life with her. No, it was best if they didn't marry. But that situation was entirely up to him.

Estaliel wanted to scream. How on earth had he weaseled his way into her life yet again? This would be pure torture. She knew that to get to the very end of the world you had to go mainly by boat and that would mean having to be one of the only she-elves on the whole boat. Nobody took any maids onto the boat and if there was one single lady they had to cook.

She woke up in the morning right before the crack of dawn and quickly dressed. She picked up the bag she had put together the night before and threw it over her shoulders. When she was at the main gate, she saw that Amithriel had won the competition that she had set up the night before. It had been weaved into the tone of her voice when she spoke, so he knew exactly what she meant.

As she placed the pack on her own horse, Amithriel cleared his throat. "My lady Estaliel, you may not travel on your own horse."

She resisted a groan and looked him in the eye. "And may I ask, my lord Amithriel, why on Middle Earth not?"

"Because Lord Elrond required that we only come with one horse, my lady Estaliel. You may walk or sit on my horse with me."

She knew that walking would kill her but so would riding the horse. With him. "I will ride your horse, my lord Amithriel."

Two claps of her hand was all it took for eight maids to appear and take away her horse. She climbed onto his horse and sat on the front. He put his left arm around her, and his right arm on the reign. "Are you comfortable, my lady?"

She gasped as his hold on her waist tightened. "Very," she whispered.

The horse was faster than lightning. He took them almost faster to their destination than any horse she had been on before. Every time they jumped, Amithriel's grasp on her waist grew tighter. It was almost - dare she say - pleasurable.

When they stopped to give the horse a drink of water and a rest, she washed her face with the cold spring water. "What is your horse's name, my lord Amithriel?"

"His name is _**Renia**_. To fly."

"That suits him."

Amithriel smiled. "I know."

She let her bleach blonde hair flow with the wind as she stood up, and for the first time, he looked upon her as if she were the prettiest elf upon Middle Earth.

When they reached Rivendell a few hours later they entered the gates, and gave Renia to the horse keeper, and went inside.

She went into Elrond's dining hall where Legolas and Gimli sat waiting for her. Legolas smiled at her and stood. He gave her the kind of crushing hug that only brothers know how to give. She laughed as she told him to set her back on the ground.

"My little sister," he whispered in pride.

"My big brother," she said back. She looked up into his smiling blue eyes. Even though he stood a foot taller than her, they always looked the same and would always look the same. The only difference was that she had jade green eyes and he had sapphire blue eyes.

"What has the wee lassie been up to?" came a familiar voice behind Legolas.

"Gimli!" she exclaimed. She turned to the dwarf and gave him a hug. "How has the dwarf been?"

"Wonderful, only your big brother here won't let me spar him anymore in our travels."

Estaliel laughed, and gently touched Legolas's cheek with her fingertips. "Any adventures lately?"

"None, I'm afraid," Legolas said sadly.

"Well look at you! You're almost a half a millimeter taller than when I last saw you!" She laughed as he tried to swat her arm playfully. Gimli rolled his eyes.

"Are the two of you done with your greetings? I'm ready to eat."

Legolas agreed that they should sit down but wait for Lord Elrond. Lord Elrond came ten minutes later (much to Gimli's distress) and he allowed them to eat of the food. "Legolas, how have things been in the Northern Regions? Has all been well with the Shire?"

"All has been fine in the Shire, my lord, except for the death of a certain Proudfoot who might've eaten a little over his bounds."

The five at the table laughed until they couldn't breathe. "And Amithriel, how have things been in the Marsh Lands?"

Of course Amithriel would ask for the marsh lands. He would do anything to get out of adventure.

"The Marsh Lands are perfect as always," he said.

"And Estaliel, how is Lorien treating you?"

"Just fine, my Lord Elrond."

"I have a favour to ask of all of you," Lord Elrond said, tossing his napkin onto the table. "A friend of mine has asked for me to take him to visit the end of Middle Earth. Perhaps you have heard of the fellow. His name is Meriadoc Brandybuck. Merry is getting old and I'm afraid that he won't be with us much longer. He has wanted to go to the end of Middle Earth for quite some time now and I have given in to his pleas. We shall journey from here to the Shire each with his own horse."

"But my lord, I have no horse," said Estaliel.

"Then how did you get here?" Lord Elrond's question matched the faces around the table.

Anger quickly started to burn at Estaliel's cheeks. "Amithriel told me that you said that I would be riding his horse, and not my own."

Lord Elrond held back a smile. "That I did. You may continue to use Lord Amithriel's horse or pick one from the stables."

"I think I shall pick one from the stables," she said, glaring over at Amithriel. Amithriel returned the glare.

That evening, as she stood on the balcony with her head resting in her hand, she looked across the sea of stars to see Lorien's highest watchtower. She waved to the guard, and thought she saw a hand wave back at her. She smiled contentedly and continued to watch the stars twinkle above her. She could name almost every one of them because she had taken a long course on astronomy in the Lorien schools that Lady Galadriel made her attend. She was always the top of her class in everything with the exception of math.

"You picked a beautiful night to look out on," said a masculine voice behind her.

She smiled to herself, not bothering to turn around. "It is a beautiful night, is it not?"

He nodded and positioned himself in the same position she was next to her. "I am proud of you, Estaliel."

Happiness welled up in her throat. "Why is that, brother Legolas?"

He stroked her hair with his hand and fingered one of the fishtail braids that was just above her right ear. "You are one of the only elves I know besides myself that has the stubbornness of dwarfs, the agility of an elf, and the feelings of a man. You have grown up to be a beautiful young woman and I am privileged to be your older brother. I love you so much, Estaliel."

A tear ran down her cheek as she buried herself in his arms. "I love you too, Legolas." She knew that whenever she had a problem, she could take it to him and he would wipe it all away.

"Something troubles you, my dear sister. Whatever it is, you can tell me."

"I am perfectly fine, dear brother. I'm just so happy to know that you're alive."

Legolas knew that there was something else, but he wouldn't bother to ask her because if she didn't want to tell him now, she would probably tell him sooner or later.

After a few moments of enjoying each others presence, he let her go and they continued to watch the night sky. "There is the _**Nim Naugol**_ ," he said, pointing up to the well known white dwarfish constellation. He appeared to be holding an axe in his hand and was dressed for battle. Every night that the **_Nim Naugol_** was spotted it was dressed for something different. One night it was even dressed for bed in bedclothes.

"There is something between you and Amithriel," Legolas said.

Estaliel snorted. "There is nothing between me and _**aranel**_."

Legolas lifted an eyebrow. "Are you sure? You gave him some death threatening glances at the table this evening."

She shook her head. "It's nothing."

"It doesn't sound as if it's nothing."

She looked up at him. "What do you think about Amithriel?"

"I rather like the fellow. He seems wise enough and he was willing to come on this adventure with us. What do you have against him?"

"Everything. He hates killing orcs and he tricked me into riding his horse with him. And while I was on his horse he held onto my waist as if I would fall off."

"That is not absolutely everything against him. He is not that bad, Estaliel."

"You haven't known him since you were five," she snapped.

"You're right. I have known him since I was three. He and I were never closely acquainted but we managed to talk every once in a while. I only know him a bit but he is a good elf."

"Are you hinting at what I think you're hinting at?" her eyes were drenched in suspicion.

"What might that be?"

"That dear _**aranel**_ and I are in love? Because if that is so, I can reassure you that we are not. I dislike him with a passion, my dear brother."

Legolas laughed. "I think that you like him very much indeed, my dear sister, and you are in great danger of loving him."

Estaliel hit him on the arm. "I am in no such danger, Legolas Greenleaf!"

He chuckled, and put his arm around her waist. "I shall walk you to your room, my dear sister."

Their conversation had not gone unnoticed. In the shadows stood Lord Elrond, who had listened to the whole thing. It was a good idea. It benefited Amithriel and maybe even Estaliel in some cases. They were perfect for each other and he had his plan mapped out.

In the morning, Estaliel awoke to the sound of Amithriel's voice in the upstairs parlor. For some strange reason he had been given a room that was right next to her's on the third floor. She thought that perhaps Lord Elrond had a part in their room settings, but she wasn't entirely sure of it.

It completely slipped her mind to put on a robe when she walked out of the room. She quietly walked up to the room in which she found Amithriel sitting and singing a song that went something like this;

 _Farewell to the days of happiness_

 _The golden years of love_

 _Hence come the years of less_

 _And no longer is white the dove_

 _Though we go through trial_

 _My love for you will always endure_

 _In the hardship and denial_

 _Your love is the only cure_

 _My love for you will never fade_

 _It will surely never die_

 _It seems as if for each other we were made_

 _The days never pass us by_

 _Though now I grow weary and old_

 _And though my journeys take me far_

 _With your love I am never cold_

 _Evil shall never enter where we are_

 _Now my days are done and my journeys are through_

 _My sorrows great and my trials more_

 _My love for you_

 _Shall ever endure_

 _When we reach the Grey Havens_

 _There together we'll dwell_

 _There shall be none of ravens_

 _Our paths shall be parallel_

The poetry of the song was terrible but it brought Estaliel to tears and she sighed. It was a rather loud sigh, and when he looked up he saw her there in nothing but her bedclothes. She gasped, and then hurried back to her room, eager to escape his staring eyes. This journey would be long and hard.

 _ **Renia: To fly**_

 _ **Nim Naugol: White Dwarf**_

 _ **Aranel: Princess**_

 **This is all Sindarin Elvish;)!**


	2. New Horizons

**This is the second chapter! So exciting! We are going to be covering a lot of Rivendell today and then at the very end we are going to leave in (sad face [lol]). Hang in here with me – I just woke up so the story might be a little out of whack, so if I did something wrong please comment and tell me right away (I'm doing this whole thing on a rickety old computer and it is so super frustrating!). Thank you guys so much!**

 **BTW: Estaliel's name belongs to one of my good friends, a whole bunch of stuff belongs to Tolkien, and Amithriel and Estaliel's personality belongs to me;).**

Estaliel shut the door tightly and noticed how heavy her breathing was getting as she leaned against her door. That was a disaster! Now Amithriel knew she was spying on him!

She got changed for breakfast, and braided her hair before hurrying down the stairs. To make matters worse, when she had gotten to the bottom of the stairs and into the dining room, she noticed that the place cards had been moved so now she had to sit next to Amithriel. It was better than sitting across from him where he could stare deeply into her eyes with those piercing blue eyes. Legolas's eyes were a soft, kind blue, but his were a deep, deep blue, and they seemed to go on forever.

Legolas and Gimli sat on the other side, Legolas's blue eyes laughing with delight the whole time. She could've kicked him under the table, but decided that if she did she would probably have to go in a shooting contest against him, and as everyone knew, he always won.

Both Amithriel and Estaliel tried to scoot their chairs away from each other, and they succeeded by an inch both, but could get no farther if they wanted to stay at the table.

Elrond saw this and quietly smiled to himself. They would be easy to work with.

Legolas and Gimli were having a game of thumb war under the table, and whoever lost had to scream and then dip their face in food. Legolas had a very cunning trick and that was to get Gimli's thumb lodged under his index finger and then Gimli would be hooting and howling. Gimli thought that he had lost, so he startled most all of Rivendell with a loud scream, and then mashed his face in food. Legolas howled when he saw the whole thing, and then Gimli got up and looked at their hands and saw Legolas's trick.

"Why you pointy eared princess! I'll not forget this one yet!" he yelled, and then picked up a breakfast pie and hurled it at Legolas. Legolas ducked and it hit Lord Elrond in the face.

Legolas picked up another breakfast crème pie and hurled it at Gimli's beard. "That'll be a tough one to wash out!" he cried with delight.

Gimli fumed and picked up another breakfast pie (the table was completely loaded with breakfast pies), and hurled it at Legolas's face. He ducked again, and this time it hit Amithriel! Estaliel fell out of her chair laughing until one hit her in the back! She turned around to see who had thrown it, and found out that Amithriel had thrown it at her!

"Look who's laughing now!" he exclaimed as he doubled over laughing.

She smiled as he turned around, and threw one right into his long amber hair. He turned around as she threw another one right at his face!

"Oops!" she said. Legolas stopped throwing pies at Gimli, and turned to see Amithriel who was absolutely covered in pies. He started laughing and Gimli looked at him with a confused look on his face.

"What now, you long haired little boy?" Gimli asked, and then followed Legolas's eyes to where Amithriel was sitting, absolutely drenched in pies. Gimli laughed, and then threw the one he had in his hand at Amithriel. Amithriel flinched the slightest bit, which sent Legolas and Gimli into a laughing fit.

All this time, Elrond had been trying to stop the breakfast crème pie fight and he had gotten hit with about three pies. Everyone stopped as he stood up, and hollered "Stop this at once!" Estaliel was still going, so he took a breakfast crème pie and hurled it at her. "I said enough!" he yelled, and she stopped right in her tracks. "I want each and every one of you to get cleaned up upstairs in your rooms. Immediately!"

As soon as he said immediately, everyone scampered away from the table and to their rooms to get dressed in proper attire. They all knew that he would be expecting them at the council room, so that was where they all went.

"You are grown up elves and dwarf!" he exclaimed. "You have no right to completely ruin my breakfast table with your crème pies. I expect that when we leave tomorrow I will find better behavior. You shall all sit in the parlor until then." He pointed, and everyone walked away with their heads down.

Gimli glared at Legolas, who glared at Gimli. Estaliel glared at Amithriel, but surprisingly enough, he didn't return it. He looked at her with a wondering eye, and the deep blue didn't seem to pierce right through her anymore. It seemed to be softer and more lighthearted. She didn't know why he was staring at her this way, but it made her feel uncomfortable.

"Do you want to play thumb war?" Legolas asked her. It pulled her out of her daze and she looked up, realizing that she had really not been glaring at Amithriel at all, but instead she was glaring at the floor.

"What?" she asked, surprised he would ever ask such a question.

"Would you like to play thumb war to pass the time?"

"Certainly," she said as she got up and moved next to him. At least Amithriel wasn't staring anymore.

Legolas beat her for the first round, but she beat him the next two rounds. Suddenly on the fourth round, Lord Elrond walked into the room with a group of elvish musicians.

"I am going to teach you how to be productive with your time," he said. "Amithriel and Estaliel you shall be partners and Arielas and Legolas shall be partners. I am going to teach you how to dance respectably."

This made her blood boil. She would have to be in Amithriel's arms, he would have to hold her while they danced. She stood up none the less and took Amithriel's offered hand. It was warm, and the way his other arm wrapped around her waist made her want to faint. She pushed those feelings away, and saw Arielas in Legolas's arms. She gritted her teeth and put her hand on Amithriel's shoulder. He pulled her in until his face was a breath away from her face and this made her feel as if she really would go unconscious. She hated this elf, so why was she feeling this way now?

Amithriel proved to be an excellent dancer and the way he looked into her eyes as they danced made her want to swoon. Wait. She needed to stay focused. She could not fall in love with this elf. She hated him so much so she could never be in love with him.

Legolas looked over at them, and smiled. They made a lovely couple. He looked down at Arielas who wasn't half as pretty as his sister or other women elves but made up for beauty in sensibility.

When the song was over, Amithriel waited five seconds to release her from his hold. She looked up at him when he did release her, and swallowed the lump that was ominously forming in her throat. His eyes were the softest she had ever seen them, perhaps even softer than Legolas's. When he looked back at Lord Elrond again, they quickly sharpened again. It was her! He must've liked something about her! She had no idea what, but it shocked her now.

She stepped back, turned, and ran out of the room.

"What did you do to the poor girl?" Lord Elrond asked.

"Nothing at all, my lord," came Amithriel's firm reply.

Lord Elrond hurried away to see if she was alright and Legolas came up to him. "You have her in quite a tizzy my friend, I must say," he said before running after Lord Elrond.

Amithriel smiled to himself. "Indeed I have."

A soft knock came on Estaliel's door. She was lying on her bed crying, and she buried her face in the pillows. Lord Elrond opened the door, came in, and then closed it behind him.

Elrond had always been like a second father to her. Thranduil (her birth father) never wanted anything to do with her, so when Lady Galadriel took her to Rivendell for a visit, Elrond was completely taken with her, and sort of adopted her as her father. She always loved him more than Lady Galadriel (she understood this) because he was the only person that could make her feel as if she was loved at times.

He sat down on the bed next to her and stroked her cheek. "My dear Estaliel, what is the matter?"

She took a breath in. "Amithriel is the matter. Oh, the way he looks at me makes me feel as if I can barely breathe at times."

"Do you love him?"

"Love him? Of course I do not love him. I'm just afraid that – that -"

"That he loves you?"

"Precisely! I'm terrified of the fact because I hate him!"

Legolas rushed into the room, almost panting. "Could we have a moment, Legolas?" asked Lord Elrond.

Legolas grasped his chest and nodded, closing the door behind him.

"You couldn't possibly hate Amithriel. He is such a good elf and he has a high regard for you."

"I don't care what regard he has for me, I've never been so uncomfortable in my entire life."

Elrond smiled and nodded. "I understand. We shall see you at dinner." With that, he stood up, and left the room.

Legolas came in and sat down next to her. She sat up and dried her eyes. He held out his arms, which she gladly took refuge in.

"What is the matter?"

"Amithriel is the matter. Did you see the way he looked at me when we danced, his blue eyes all soft and affectionate?"

"Estaliel, I think that you are afraid to love him."

"How dare -"

"I want you to admit it to yourself. You are afraid to love him."

"Never!"

"I will tell him that you love him if you don't admit it."

"Fine. I am afraid to love him."

Legolas fingered the braid on the back of her head. "Thank you. Now I will see you at dinner." He stood up, and started to walk out the door when she stopped him.

"Legolas, you won't tell anyone of this conversation, will you?" she asked, her eyes pleading with him.

He stepped over to her and stroked her cheek. "I wouldn't dream of it," he whispered.

Estaliel woke up and looked at the position of the sun in the sky. " _ **Rhach**_ _**i lû!**_ " she exclaimed as she got up and hurried downstairs.

" _ **Ias gar cin been?**_ " asked Lord Elrond.

" _ **Im gar been ne nín haust.**_ My most sincerest apologies, Lord Elrond."

"All is forgiven," came the soft reply.

After dinner, Lord Elrond stood up. "My friends, I told you yesterday that we would be going on a journey with someone very special. I would like you to meet him."

A little man with a black hood stepped forward and took off his hood to reveal an old Meriadoc Brandybuck. The four cheered in delight, and Merry smiled.

"Merry has lost his voice completely," said Elrond.

"What do you mean, lost my voice?" Merry yelled. "I just told you that so I wouldn't get into any trouble!"

The company laughed and soon enough everyone had been introduced and he could call everyone by their first names.

"Let me review names one more time. Now, let's see, there's Legolas, Gimli, Estelle, and I don't remember your name – is it Marithal?"

Amithriel laughed in his melodious voice. "No, it is Amithriel."

"Aha! Amithriel! I knew I had that name tucked in my brain somewhere. Now I shall start over again."

The company groaned because it had been Merry's sixth time at trying to list their names. He had gotten everyone except Amithriel's name, and he was absolutely determined to figure it out.

"There is Legolas, Gimli the dwarf, Estaliel the sister of Legolas and your name is Namithal."

For the sake of the entire group, Amithriel acknowledged it as his name.

The next day, the seven people set out. Estaliel had picked out a horse named _**Edlothia.**_ She was a beautiful white and grey stallion and she was very tall (even taller than Amithriel's horse). Merry had a Shetland pony named Bruno and he was short enough to go under _**Edlothia.**_ Amithriel had the same horse he had brought to Lothlorien, Elrond had a noble steed named _**Arod**_ , and Legolas and Gimli shared a horse named _**Randir**_.

Within the next few weeks, they had reached the Shire. As they went through it, Merry was looked down upon because of his frequent adventures.

"Elrond," he said, "let us leave this place. There is a slight chill in the air."

Elrond nodded and leaded the company away from the Shire. Estaliel noticed that as they left, a tear slid down Bilbo's cheek. She reached down and patted his head and he rubbed his tear away, and smiled up at her.

"Look not back, Merry, but only to what is ahead," she said in a calm, soothing voice.

Merry nodded and looked ahead to the Golden City of the Rivermaids. The smile on his face reassured her that everything would be fine there. Or at least, she hoped.

 _ **Rhach**_ _**i lû: Curse the time!**_

 _ **Ias gar cin been: Where have you been?**_

 _ **Im gar been ne nín haust: I have been in my room.**_

 _ **Edlothia: Blossom.**_

 _ **Arod: Noble.**_

 _ **Randir: Pilgrim.**_


	3. Sad Endings

**This is my third chapter (I'm starting to get too excited to keep myself limited to one chapter per day;) and I am so excited about all of this because this is my first story! If you like it, then I would be obliged if you would comment, if you don't like a part of it, then I would ask that you would comment and tell me so I could fix it. A special thanks to MC-lothiriel who just started following this story! Thank you so so much for reading and have a wonderful day!**

 **BTW: Estaliel's name is from my friend, Legolas, Gimli and Elrond are from Tolkien's mind, Amithriel is mine and so is Estaliel's personality. The song that Merry sings is by Billy Boyd (The Last Goodbye). The song that Merry hears Pippin singing is from the Return of the King (I believe or it is from the Two Towers). Both are sung by Billy Boyd and both are absolutely beautiful.**

Arriving at the Golden City of the Rivermaids hadn't been the easiest task in the world. First, they had to prove that it was Lord Elrond entering the Golden City, and then everyone had to do a background check (the city was highly secured because of raids in the past from the evil race of men).

Gimli's axe was taken away, as was Legolas's bow. Estaliel was able to come in without any trouble, as was Elrond (when they found out who he was). Amithriel's double swords were taken away (which he was not at all pleased about). Merry didn't have any weapons on his person but he was thoroughly checked.

Everyone in the Golden City of the Rivermaids was perfect. The men had short hair that was always neatly combed and brushed back and the ladies' hair was always long but put back up in a bun. Every person smelled of lilacs and sugar. It was an intoxicating smell and Estaliel was jealous of the everyday peaceful life that they lived. She loved her own life on the road but she would like to settle down one day with a husband of her own. As she thought about this, her eyes wandered over to Amithriel who was unsaddling his horse. UGH! She could've slapped herself for thinking such thoughts. She realized that she was still staring when Amithriel looked at her from behind _**Renia**_. He smiled at her. Wait, he SMILED at her! She couldn't help herself from half smiling back at him. His eyes glistened in the same way that they glistened a few weeks ago in his arms at Rivendell. No. She couldn't let this happen to herself. She couldn't fall in love with him. Not now. If she did want to fall in love, she wanted to fall in love with a high elf not a woodland elf. The smile disappeared from her face and she looked down as she continued to brush her horse out.

Amithriel was amused at this. She had smiled at him and he had been the reason. He was overjoyed but his joy did not last for long because a young woman came to escort them to their bed chambers.

When Estaliel was in her room, she went straight to the balcony. They didn't call it the Golden City of the Rivermaids for nothing. It truly was golden. All of the beautiful buildings were a rich gold and all of the streets were golden as well. She looked inside her temporary wardrobe (made of gold of course), and found that all of the dresses went down to her ankles and each had a long train. They were woven of golden silk (she guessed that they were from the southern lands) and the sleeves were just as beautiful. The waists though – oh! The waists! They were so tight and when Estaliel shimmied into one, she found that she could barely breathe! She resolved so as not to hurt the rivermaidens feelings that she would wear the gowns.

Dinner came soon enough, so she dressed herself in a stunningly beautiful golden evening gown. She hung a necklace made of diamonds around her neck, placed her hair up in a braided bun, and slipped on gold slippers. As the men around the table saw her enter the room, they gasped. Amithriel's eyes came out of his head at how beautiful she was. He had never saw anyone so beautiful in all of his life. Every man at the table stood up as was the proper thing to do when she entered.

Her place was yet again next to Amithriel, and as she sat down, he whispered to her, "You look beautiful, my lady Estaliel."

She felt her cheeks turn bright red as she whispered back to him, "My lord Amithriel is kind."

He nodded and passed her food.

The evening passed quickly by and at the end the ladies was sent back to their rooms. A knock came on her door, and she opened it to find Amithriel standing before her.

"May I have a word with you, my lady?" he asked softly.

Estaliel raised her eyebrow the slightest bit, but allowed him to come in. She shut the door, immediately regretting the decision. "What brings you to my room, my lord Amithriel?"

"The rivermaidens and the rivermen have declared that tomorrow night will be a time of dancing in the Grand Golden Hall. I have been required to ask a lady if she will go to the ball with me and I was wondering if you would like to accompany me."

Estaliel raised her eyebrow again, and mulled it over in her mind. To turn his offer down would be disrespectful but to take his offer would be torture for her mind. "I accept your humble offer, my lord Amithriel," she said.

Amithriel smiled. "I will be here for you at seven o'clock in the evening," he said. He stepped to the door, but she stopped him.

"Amithriel, I cannot go to the dance tomorrow without telling you that I am most dreadfully and utterly sorry for my attitude toward you. It was unacceptable and uncalled for and it was no way to treat a proper gentleman. I am sorry."

His good name and reputation were what kept him from kissing her. "You need not apologize to me. I am the one that should apologize to you for not being the proper gentleman in front of you. Do we agree to be friends from now on?" he asked, sticking out his hand.

She smiled and shook his hand. "I agree."

Amithriel smiled to himself as he went down the stairs. He couldn't believe that she had actually agreed to their friendship.

When he was back in the dining room, he saw that Merry was on the table dancing with another hobbit. When they were done, Merry got down off of the table with the other hobbit and came over to Amithriel.

"Amithriel, I would like you to meet my cousin Peregrin Took. Pippin, I would like you to meet Amithriel the elf. Pippin has come to the Golden City of the Rivermaids for the rest of his days."

Pippin laughed. "He tried to get me to come along on this new adventure of your's, but I decided that every day is an adventure here in the Golden City of the Rivermaids. You know, I-"

"EVERYBODY GET DOWN!" A voice yelled over the talkative people. Everybody ducked except Pippin who wanted to get a closer look. Arrows started flying everywhere, and Amithriel grabbed Merry and started to run.

"PIPPIN!" Merry screamed.

Amithriel ignored Merry's screams; instead he put him down and began to kill the flood of orcs flooding into the hall. Merry ran back to where Pippin was, but he had to come back when he saw orcs heading his way as well.

An orc jumped up on Amithriel's back and began to dig into his flesh with his teeth, but before the horrid creature could do more damage, he rammed his back against the wall, and killed the orc.

Orcs began coming in from every which side on Merry's right and left. Luckily, being a part of the Fellowship of the Ring had left him with some valuable tricks. He took out his sword, and began to swing at the orcs coming toward him. He decapitated one, and he impaled another. It felt like it would never end.

Until it did.

Merry saw that there were no more orcs flooding the halls, so he ran back to the dining hall to see that Pippin was lying on the ground, his round little belly soaked in blood. He traced the blood with his eyes to find an arrow sticking out of the little man's lung.

His eyes started to fill with tears and he took Pippin's hand in his. "Pippin, can you hear me?"

Pippin coughed a little to indicate that he was still living. "Take…the…arrow…out…of…me…" he said.

Merry nodded and grasped the arrow as hard as he could, and pulled. After nine tries, he gave up. "Pippin, it is no use. I cannot dislodge the arrow."

"Nonsense…of…course…you…can…try…harder…my…friend…"

Merry tried again and this time he managed to feel it come out. He went over and puked over the railing, and then went back to Pippin. "Pippin, I have to tell you something."

Pippin's eyes looked away and over to the pillars. "I…see…fire…"

"What are you talking about? There is no fire."

Pippin's eyes looked back at Merry. "Merry…live your…life…happily…never mourn…for me…now what…did you… want…to…tell…me?"

"I'm sorry-"

Merry looked down at Pippin. He started to cry and his tears dropped on Pippin's face. "I didn't tell you that they sold the ale in quarts."

Pippin. He had always been there for Merry but now he was gone for good. They were the best of friends but now he was gone for good. And so soon, too. Merry cried until he couldn't breathe, and by that point he had collapsed.

The funeral was ever so sad. The reverend was old and slow which made the whole circumstance worse. At the end, he asked Merry to come up and sing Pippin's favourite song.

 _I saw the light fade from the sky_

 _On the wind I heard a sigh_

 _As the snowflakes cover my fallen brothers_

 _I will say this last goodbye_

 _Night is now falling_

 _So ends this day_

 _The road is now calling_

 _And I must away_

 _Over hill and under tree_

 _Through lands where never light has shone_

 _By silver streams that run down to the sea_

 _Under cloud, beneath the stars_

 _Over snow one winter's morn_

 _I turn at last to the paths that lead home_

 _And though where the road then takes me_

 _I cannot tell_

 _We came all this way_

 _But now comes the day_

 _To bid you farewell_

 _Many places I have been_

 _Many sorrows I have seen_

 _But I don't regret_

 _Nor will I forget_

 _All who took the road with me_

 _Night is now falling_

 _So ends this day_

 _The road is now calling_

 _And I must away_

 _Over hill and under tree_

 _Through lands where never light has shone_

 _By silver streams that run down to the sea_

 _To these memories I will hold_

 _With your blessing I will go_

 _To turn at last to the paths that lead home_

 _And though where the road then takes me_

 _I cannot tell_

 _We came all this way_

 _But now comes the day to bid you farewell_

 _I bid you all a very fond farewell_

As Merry wiped away his tears, he could almost hear Pippin singing the battle song from Gondor.

 _Home is behind_

 _The world ahead_

 _And there are many paths to tread_

 _Through shadow_

 _To the edge of night_

 _Until the stars are all alight_

 _Mist and shadow_

 _Cloud and shade_

 _All shall fade_

 _All shall fade_

Nothing could stop Merry's tears now. All he could feel was the horror of Pippin's presence that was completely gone. Estaliel went up to the front and wrapped her arms around him.

Then, Pippin's words went through Merry's mind. _'Merry, live your life happily. Never mourn for me.'_ With that running through his little mind, he wiped his tears away and smiled sadly at the audience. If Pippin didn't want him to mourn for him, then he wouldn't mourn. If Pippin wanted him to be happy, then he would be happy. But it was all for Pippin.


	4. The Fight

**Sorry about the sad ending. I was on the verge of tears when I wrote the last chapter. This is going to be my last chapter for a while because I am going on vacation. I posted Chapter 3 to keep you busy for a while, so this should keep you busier. Thanks to my readers and supporters (so far, I know that I have two ;D) and others. If you are reading this for the first time, hang in there! I think we may have a ways to go yet.**

 **BTW: A lot is Tolkien's, a lot is mine, and Estaliel's name is from a good friend. Oh, and also, this chapter may seem a bit heartless toward Pippin but that is truly not my intention.**

It had been almost twelve hours since Pippin had died. The ball had been held back for quite a while, and Amithriel anticipated the moment where he could finally dance with Estaliel.

When he arrived at her room, he saw what she had been dressed in. He gasped as his eyes took in the beautiful sight.

Three hours before…

Estaliel stood before her wardrobe, wondering what she would wear to the ball. The best thing that she had in her wardrobe was the dress she had worn to the banquet before Pippin died.

A soft knock came on her door. Was it that time already? She panicked and opened the door. The rivermaiden before her laughed out loud.

"My apologies," Estaliel said. "As you can see I am not ready yet."

With one more chuckle the woman pulled herself together. "I can tell, my lady. Would you like me to help you?"

Estaliel smiled. "Help would be welcome."

The woman stepped in and curtsied. "My name is Redfruit. I think that I shall be your maid while you are here."

"You think?"

"We are never sure of anything in this land."

Estaliel laughed. "That must be tiresome."

"Never." She held a measuring band around Estaliel's waist. "You are very lucky, Miss."

"How so?"

"Your man is very hansom."

"My man? I don't have a man."

"What about that other elf that came into the city with you? I thought you and him were a couple."

"No, he's only taking me to the ball tonight. We're nothing. I mean he's nothing. I mean, you know what I mean."

Redfruit smiled. "No, I don't know what you mean. There is something between you and that elf, dare I say friction."

Estaliel's cheeks turned bright red. "I thought you were here to pick out a dress for me, not to reprimand me for my love of one elf."

Redfruit couldn't help but grin. "I was called here for that. In fact, follow me."

The rivermaiden led Estaliel down the steps and into the city. There was a dress shop and they both entered it. Inside were all of the dresses a young lady could ever ask for. They came in one length and that was very long. They all came in the same golden color, just with different fabric.

"They are all so beautiful," she breathed.

Redfruit smiled. "Yes."

They must've looked at a thousand different dresses until they finally found one. Thousands of diamonds were sewn on and so it made the dress glitter in the light of the room. It still had a golden fabric but you could see little of it. There was somewhat a cape in the back but it was connected to the sleeves. She looked stunning in it.

They put her hair up in a bun that was encircled with braids and she looked positively dazzling.

Now…

Estaliel took Amithriel's offered arm, and allowed him to lead her to the ballroom.

"You look absolutely gorgeous, Estaliel," he commented softly.

"My lord is kind. You also look very nice. Did Blackfruit come and help you?"

"Blackfruit? I've never heard of him. Is he a friend of your's?"

Estaliel laughed. "No. I had a maid named Redfruit and I wondered if her good twin Blackfruit helped you."

"Twin? Does she have a twin?"

"Not that I am aware of, but if she did she would probably be the evil one of the two."

Amithriel threw back his head, and laughed. She had to laugh because she had never seen him laugh like this before.

Before they knew it, they were on the ballroom floor and he was dancing with her. The same light that was in his eyes in Rivendell was there that night and she loved the look.

Legolas asked to dance with her after three dances with Amithriel. As they danced across the floor, he began to talk.

"Amithriel danced well with you tonight," he said.

"You are hinting at something," came the cold reply.

"He likes you, Estaliel. The way that he looks at you at the dinner table and the way he was looking at you while you danced. He loves you more than life itself."

"And how would you know?"

Legolas smiled. "I know what it looks like when two elves are in love, or at least when an elf is in love with another elf."

"Legolas, I will not deny that Amithriel is a good elf. I have learned that much about him this far. But I will deny the fact that I love him. I don't love him and I don't know what has it in your head that thinks that I love him."

They stopped dancing in the middle of the floor. "Tell me that you at least like him."

All eyes were now on Legolas and Estaliel as they fought in the middle of the floor. "No. I like him as a friend, but nothing more."

"You love him, Estaliel. Deep down inside your loveless heart you love him. I know that you do. Just because Father had no love in him doesn't mean that you should not have love in you."

"ENOUGH!" she yelled, and drew her sword which was hidden under her dress. "I challenge you."

Legolas glared at her. "Challenge accepted," he said as he raised his sword.

He threw the first hit onto her sword and she blocked it by raising her sword to the right in front of her face. Then, she rushed at him and hit his sword with a heavy blow.

Lord Elrond was alerted of their tussle, and he hurried down before one of the hard headed elves killed the other. When he got into the middle of the floor, he raised his sword and struck at both of the swords coming at each other.

"Stop it this instant!" he yelled. "Why in the world are you two fighting? What has gotten into you? You were both the best of friends, but now I have no idea what happened to that relationship. Ever since he," Elrond pointed to Amithriel, "has come into your lives there has been nothing but fighting. First verbally, then with breakfast crème pies, verbally again, and finally now you're trying to kill each other. As for you Estaliel, ladies should never fight with a sword in my opinion. You also shouldn't challenge a man to a duel. And Legolas, how dare you accept a challenge against a woman? You should know better by now. I know you want to keep your duty and honor, but it is disgrace to fight against a woman, let alone your own sister. I am ashamed and disgraced by both of you. I want you to stay in your rooms until we leave for the docks. IMMEDIATELY!"

Estaliel gave one last glare at Legolas before the two of them ran up the stairs and into their rooms.

Elrond nodded at all the people, and the ball continued.

Estaliel stomped around her room. _Disgrace Elrond? Why there was no possible way! She was disgraced in front of all those people. And in front of…him. She could never face him again for as long as she lived. Legolas had disgraced her, not the other way around. She should've just walked away._

She sat down on her bed, and pouted. And then, she heard a soft knock. She immediately knew who it was. She stayed on the bed and stared at the door.

"Estaliel? I know that you're in there. I just wanted to say that I am sorry for everything that happened tonight. I know that you won't want to talk to me now, but I truly am sorry. This whole thing was all my fault and I never should've made you come."

Amithriel sounded like a little school boy and it was absolutely frightening. Estaliel threw the covers back over her head, and fell asleep.

The next few days in her room were very lonely. At last, Elrond came to her room.

"My dear Estaliel, what is going on between your brother and you? You were both so close, but now it seems as if you hate him. And tell me, who could hate Legolas?"

Estaliel chuckled. "No one, really. I love him, I really do, but he pushed me a little too hard that night."

Elrond raised his eyebrows. "If he made you pull out your sword then he must've said something dreadful. I also know that it has to do something with Amithriel."

Estaliel raised her eyebrow. "What makes you think that?"

"You like him very much. I've seen the way you look at him before."

Estaliel pressed her lips together. "I do no such thing."

Elrond smirked. "Oh, but my dear, I think you do."

Estaliel glared at him. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Maybe someday you will. Get your bags together. We shall be leaving shortly."

Legolas heard a soft knock on his door. He opened it to find his little sister there.

"Legolas, I am so dreadfully sorry. I am no lady for challenging you and I just hope that we can be as close as we used to be."

He smiled, and put his arms around her in a loving embrace. "I need to apologize to you as well, Estaliel. I never should've accepted the duel. I love you so much and it was foolish of me to try to harm you. I'm also sorry for pushing you to tell me about Amithriel. That was wrong of me."

They stood there for several moments until she went back to her room to pack.

The horses were saddled up when it was time to leave. All of the rivermaidens were reluctant for them to go, but it had to be done.

"Where's Merry?" Gimli boomed.

"I think I know where he is," said Estaliel. She took his horse with her and rode off to the cemetery. She found him next to Pippin's grave and waited for him.

"Pippin, I'm sorry for everything I've ever done that was stupid, like not telling you that they sold the ale in quarts, or that time where we set off the fireworks and I didn't tell you about the majestic firework. I feel so awful now. I know that you always talked about that one but you never got to see it. I'm sorry about stealing your favorite winter scarf and not telling you about it. You were such a good friend and I'll never ever ever forget you. Maybe one day I can see you again in a better place. I hope that you can have grand adventures, wherever you are."

Then, Merry started to sing Pippin's battle song.

 _Home is behind_

 _The world ahead_

 _And there are many paths to tread_

 _Through shadow_

 _To the edge of night_

 _Until the stars are all alight_

 _Mist and shadow_

 _Cloud and shade_

 _All shall fade_

 _All shall fade_

Estaliel wiped away a tear that was falling down her face. She dismounted her horse and patted Merry on the shoulder. "Merry, say goodbye to Pippin."

"I don't want to say goodbye. I want to stay here with him. Pippin wouldn't want me to leave."

"But Merry, you have to say goodbye to him. We can't leave until you do."

"I'm not leaving. I'm staying with Pippin."

"Come, Merry, enough foo-" She stopped herself before the words came out. That was too close. "You and Pippin must've been close."

Merry nodded. "We were. He was my best friend." He swiped at his tear stained face.

"You might get a chance to see Pippin where we are going."

"Pippin? Really?"

"Yes. Pippin definitely lives with Eru now."

"Do you really think so?"

"I know so. So why don't you come back and if you come with us you can see Pippin a lot faster."

Merry nodded and wiped away the rest of his tears. They stood up and she helped Merry over to his horse.

Merry was quiet while they rode out of the misty cemetery and into the light filled Golden City. It was strange for him to be silent, and the rare silence made Estaliel feel lonely.

Elrond and the others were waiting once they reached the gates of the Golden City. They saw the tears on Merry's face and the sad expression on Estaliel's face so they continued along in silence.

Pippin's death was a hard blow for Merry. They had been such good friends, and to see Merry suffer through all of this made the others suffer.

The next day, they had to ride through Bungalow Land, the land of the Merry Bungalowers. But when they arrived, all was quiet and still. Elrond held up his hand. "Wait here until I whistle twice for you."

All was still. They waited and waited and waited and waited, but there was no whistle. Merry got off of Bruno, and crouched down low.

"What are you doing, Merry?" asked Estaliel.

"I'm going to have myself an adventure," he answered, and with that, he drew his sword and carefully walked toward Elrond's direction around the bend.

"We have to follow him," said Estaliel, starting to get off of her horse.

"No," Amithriel said, and he put out an arm in front of her. "We'll wait. Merry knows what to do."

"He's a hobbit!"

"Exactly."

A blood curdling shriek pierced the afternoon air. Merry came running around the corner with a pack of orcs on his tail. Elrond was running next to him and picked him up. He then flung Merry onto Bruno and turned around and began to fight the orcs.

"You idiot of a Brandybuck!" exclaimed Gimli. "Now let's kill some orc!" he declared, and he picked up his axe and charged the orcs.

Legolas pulled out his bow and began to shoot at any orc that twitched. Amithriel took out his double swords and began slaughtering each and every one of the orcs. Estaliel took her sword and did the same. An orc took hold of his mace and prepared to bring it down on her, but Amithriel jumped on the orc and sliced its miserable head off his neck. Estaliel got up and kept fighting.

They fought until there were no more orcs, and when they were done, Estaliel thanked Amithriel ever so fervently before they headed off.

Amithriel smiled to himself. He had had a major breakthrough.


	5. Into the Fire

**Hey! Sorry for the long wait! My sister recently broke her arm, so we had to postpone our vacation plans until this week. Thank you for those that put up with me! I hope that this chapter will be just as exciting for you, if not more! We dig into Amithriel and Estaliels' relationship a little bit more in this chapter. I'm so excited for the end because I planned it over vacation based on a certain spot I saw (I'll tell you when we're there). Chapter five through a little bit of chapter seven I wrote on vacation. Happy reading!**

 **Queen Zenyatta: Thank you so so so so much for that point! I don't think I can do anything about Amithriel right now, but the advice was much needed. I will make sure that all of my names are properly spelled from now on.**

 **BTW: Legolas, Elrond, Merry and Gimli are Tolkien's (as well as a few other things), Estaliel's name is from my good friend, and the rest is mine! Enjoy!**

Estaliel looked upon the road ahead of them. The Hollow Pass was normally a bright and cheery road, but today it was dark and gloomy. A mist hung above them, refusing to sink to the ground. Suddenly, her head was in the mist and she couldn't see to the side of her, behind, or in front. She felt it cold upon her face. It soon seemed to cover her and she couldn't think clearly.

Amithriel, Legolas and Gimli were also overcome by the mist. Soon they began talking deliriously.

"Where are we going?" asked Amithriel.

"My father gave me this axe for my fifth birthday," murmured Gimli.

Merry and Elrond watched them. Elrond stayed back, but Merry (in search of another adventure) followed the others.

"I need a pint," he said, the mist covering him as well.

"Trash your axe! My mother made me my bow," said Legolas, who started tearing up.

"I'm cold," Amithriel said.

"No, not a pint, a quart," said Merry.

"I left my necklace at home," Estaliel gasped.

Elrond saw them wandering through the Hollow Pass and couldn't help but grin. Merry's horse was wandering about in a zigzag pattern, but Amithriel was leading his horse up the hill. Legolas was off of his horse and lying down on his back, looking at the sky. Estaliel was looking all over the place, and Gimli was charging an ant with his axe.

He knew what he had to do, so he rode through the pass chanting something in elvish. Each time he chanted, his voice grew louder and louder, and everywhere he chanted mist parted. The company war drawn out of their daze, and continued down the pass behind Elrond.

"What happened?" asked Gimli, who was still in shock.

"I trashed your axe," Legolas jokingly answered.

Gimli gasped, but kept his mouth shut.

That night was Estaliel and Amithriel's turn to keep watch. She looked into the darkness beyond the cave where they resided, so as not to take notice that he was right next to her.

"You look like the queen," he commented, the silence being too unbearable.

"What queen?" she asked, knowing full well who he meant.

"Queen Aralias."

Estaliel's nostrils flared, predicting what this conversation would lead to. "Oh?"

"You have her eyes and complexion."

"I suppose you knew my mother."

"No, but I knew what she looked like."

"You should-"

"She was beautiful."

Estaliel seethed through her teeth. She knew that he would say that! Her pulse quickened. "You should turn in. I think I can handle the rest of the night on my own."

"Not in these parts. It is unsafe for a lady such as yourself to keep watch alone."

Estaliel thought about this for a moment, and then reluctantly gave in. "Alright. But I shall go on the cliff for a better view." She then got up and left him.

When she was on the cliff, she heard a slight noise behind her. "Do you make it a point to follow me, Master Amithriel?"

Amithriel chuckled. "Only on nights such as these. Tell me, what happened to your mother?"

Estaliel quietly groaned to herself. "Why can't Legolas tell you? He has a better way with stories than I."

"I've already heard it from Legolas," he lied. "Can't you tell me?"

"I'm not telling you here."

"Then where will you tell me?"

An idea popped into her head all too quickly. This would certainly keep the nasty scoundrel away for a bit. "What if I would spar you? If I would spar you and win, then I don't have to tell you at all. But if you win, then you may pick whenever to ask me again."

Amithriel shook his head. "It is unwise to spar a lady. No, if you wish not to tell me now, I shall not bother you."

Estaliel smirked and raised an eyebrow. "Are you scared to spar against me?"

"What? Of course not! I just don't want to-"

"Get hurt?"

"No! I don't want to hurt you."

"I would never get hurt. Besides, I'm invincible!"

Amithriel rolled his eyes and pulled out his sword as a sign of defeat. He hung his head and said, "Fine, but this is just for the fun of it."

Estaliel nodded in agreement and drew her sword. "Agreed."

There was no time for Amithriel to warm up. She threw herself right at him with her sword, but he quickly spun around so as to knock her into the bushes, but she was too fast. She spun on her heel and tackled him in midair. She knocked him down on the ground, but slipped and fell on top of him.

"This is a strange predicament," he said.

She rolled her eyes and got up. "So I guess that means I win?"

Amithriel grunted and held out his hand so she could pull him back up. She pulled him up, but when she did, he swung around and knocked her on the ground with his sword pointing at her chest. "No, it doesn't," he whispered.

She rolled her eyes. "Could I have a hand, your worship?"

"As you wish," he said.

She took his offered hand and stood up, warmth shooting through her hand. She tried to ignore the feeling and said, "We should check on the others. You never know what trouble Elrond can get people in to."

Amithriel laughed and nodded, and they headed back down the cliff, only to find their friends gone. Amithriel kneeled down and picked a puddle of something wet up off of the ground. He flung it to the back of the cave and stood up. "Trolls. The question is, how did they get under our noses?"

"They probably came when we were-" She stopped herself just in time before she said 'when we were lying on top of each other,' so she came up with a better solution. "There's no time for questions. There's no telling how long we've been up on that cliff. Come on, we have trolls to hunt down."

When they did find the rest of the company, they were met with quite a sight. Gimli and Merry were strung upside down from the nearest tree, Elrond was in a sack, and Legolas was being turned over a fire. Estaliel took out her double swords and began to attack the trolls. Amithriel joined her, and soon enough six fat trolls were lying dead on the ground with their round bellies pointing to the sky.

"It's about time!" Gimli bellowed. "It took hours for you two lovebirds to come over here and cut us down off the branches. This hobbit kept on talking and talking about how he'd rather be squished than be cooked over a fire. I wanted to get a hold of an axe and chop him to splinters!"

Estaliel blushed and stood there as the rest of them hurried away. Legolas came back and took her arm.

"It was a good rescue, my dear sister, but what did take you so long?" he asked with a twinkle in his eye.

"If you're thinking what I think you're thinking, don't think it. We were sparring. And for all I care, you could hang there by your toes all day long."

Legolas laughed. "Thank you for the sympathy. I will remember that the next time you need to be saved."  
A howl shocked the silence of the night. Another howl blistered the starry sky.

Legolas jumped. Estaliel screamed. Amithriel drew his hilted sword. Merry jumped into Elrond's arms. Elrond dropped Merry in surprise.

"To the caves!" Elrond yelled.

Estaliel didn't think that the caves were the best idea, but she had learned in the past never to question Lord Elrond's decisions. He knew what he was doing.

"What were those things?" Merry's frightened voice shouted above the rustling of the leaves as they ran. "Wargs?"

"Werewargs and Hobgoblins, Master Brandybuck," Elrond answered. "Everyone on your horses!" he shouted above the chaos.

Everyone obeyed quickly, and they ran for all they were worth. As they ran, Estaliel got whipped in the head with a tree branch. She could feel the blood trickle down her forehead as everything continued in slow motion.

Legolas shooting orcs faster than lightning.

Gimli swinging his axe rapidly.

Merry barely staying on the hard saddle.

Elrond pointing his staff to send out bright rays of electricity to kill the horrid creatures.

And Amithriel.

Amithriel.

…

Amithriel. He rode by her side the whole time as she lost consciousness. The tree branch she was hit with was no small branch. It was huge. Blistering. Splintering. It knocked the air right from her body.

She could feel herself being pulled onto his horse. She could feel his arms wrap themselves tightly around her body in elvish desperation. She could feel his hot, nervous breath travel down her neck. She could hear his voice telling her that everything would be alright. She could feel him. She could feel the movements. No longer could she hear. The last thing she saw was Amithriel trying to calm her by kissing her cheek. The last thing she heard was his soft whisper traveling into her desperate, blood stained ears.

" _Everything's going to be alright._

" _You're going to be just fine._

" _I have you now._

" _You're…safe."_

The word safe put her to ease and she peacefully drifted into unconsciousness.

Amithriel held onto her tighter than ever now. He then looked at her face and saw that it was pale white.

"Hurry up! Estaliel is hurt!" he called out to the others who had lost trail of the Werewargs and Hobgoblins.

He gently lifted her off the horse and laid her down on a smooth slab of rock which was in the middle of a patch of trees in the middle of a clearing.

Elrond arrived shortly after and jumped off his horse, as did Legolas, Gimli and Merry.

"We need to stitch it up," Elrond said. He quickly grabbed a part of Amithriel's shirt and ripped a strip off and handed it to Merry. "Soak it with water. There's a creek about a hundred meters back. She will need it. Gimli, herbs, I need herbs! Legolas, a patch of leather, and Amithriel I need a horse hair and needle from my sack. Amithriel and Legolas, you will both need to hold her down if she wakes up."

Everyone nodded and hurried away to their assignments. Gimli came with the herbs, and they couldn't wait for Merry (who Elrond constantly cursed for his lack of brains). He cleaned the wound, and put the piece of leather in her mouth so she would have something to bite down on if she woke up. Amithriel and Legolas held her down as Elrond cleaned and stitched the wound with the horse hair.

She did not wake up. She did not even scream in her slumber. She just laid there looking as peaceful as she ever could've.

Merry arrived fifteen minutes late, and was scolded many times by Amithriel, Legolas and Elrond especially.

As the others drifted off to sleep, Amithriel stayed up and watched her. He watched as her delicate chest heaved up and down. If it stopped for a moment, he took his hand out from underneath his chin and anxiously anticipated the next breath.

And then…

She woke up.

Slowly and gradually she regained consciousness. The first person she looked at was Amithriel.

Her eyes softened as she looked him in the eyes.

"Amithriel," she sighed happily.

He grinned, tears running down his cheeks. He hurried to her side and grabbed her hand. "I'm here, my lady Estaliel."

"You saved my life."

"It was a life worth saving."

"I owe you everything."

"You are a lady. You owe me nothing."

She smiled at him. "I owe you something. A favor for a favor."

"No, I wouldn't-"

"I insist," she said. She put her hand under the covers and brought out an elvish necklace that was very significant to the elvish people.

"The White Gems of Lasgalen!" he gasped.

"This is what I give to you in return," she whispered.

"I cannot allow you to give these to me," he said, even more tears running down his cheeks. He stroked her cheek with his free hand. "You don't want to give these to me."

"But my dear Amithriel, they are mine to give."

She opened his hand and slipped the precious gems in his hand. She then closed his hand over them.

"You cannot give these to me. I cannot accept them. They are your families'."

"It is a gift. You cannot give back a gift."

Amithriel smiled at her and brushed back her hair with his hand.

"Estaliel Greenleaf, I truly believe that you are a saint."

And to this day, she is known as a saint among the elvish people (as is Amithriel).


	6. A Voice In the Dark

**Good morning! These characters have personalities of their own, and last night Amithriel almost kissed Estaliel, but I said no, we'll save that for later ;). In fact, Estaliel almost gave Amithriel a kiss for saving her lol! I am having an absolute ball writing this (and a special thanks to my friend for becoming my official writing partner [in real life, I'm her partner in crime, so this is like the first time that we're each other's side kicks and not one way or the other]). I hope that anyone who's reading this is enjoying! Have fun with this chapter! Sorry that today is a shorter chapter.**

 **BTW: Merry, Legolas, Gimli, Galadriel and Elrond are Tolkien's (plus a few other things), Estaliel's name is from one of my friends and the rest is mine. Another thing; I've gotten questions about certain things like the mother and the whole thing with Elrond and Estaliel. Don't worry, I am going to explain everything when the characters decide to (I've decided to stop planning out what they do for the most part because making them do stuff is just like making real people do things and I personally think that it's a bore).**

They had camped out in the little clearing for almost a week now. Estaliel would improve bit by bit day by day but she was certainly not ready to ride a horse (she might get injured again). Amithriel watched over her day and night, never stopping for anything but meals.

One night, he accidentally drifted off to sleep. How he did it, I'll never know. His body must've just given out.

In the middle of his well deserved slumber, he heard a voice. It was a smooth as silk and as soft as feathers. The whisper hit him with such great force that it actually awoke him.

"Amithriel."

Silence.

"Amithriel."

After a while, he decided that the voice was nothing at all, so he went back to sleep. Then, he heard it again. This time, it didn't hit him, it shook him, it's icy hands grasping his shoulders and shaking him around.

He woke up and grasped his sword. Then he saw them. Those pale, holy, light drenched, enchanted feet. A soft wavy white dress flowed about them, covering their ankles. They started to walk. They walked to the edge of the clearing right past Gimli's loud snores (he was supposed to be on watch). They somehow beckoned to him.

Amithriel dropped his sword quietly, and walked to the edge where the feet had gone. He bowed, but he felt a soft white hand hook itself under his chin and lift him up. He stood up to meet the beautiful blue eyes of the fair Lady Galadriel. Though he was tall in height, not one could excess the height of the Lady of Lothlorien.

"Hello, Amithriel, son of Amerithon," she whispered softly.

"My Lady Galadriel," he said.

"Thank you, Amithriel for saving my grand-daughter's life."

"You are most welcome my lady. I did not know that the fair lady Estaliel was my Lady Galadriel's grand-daughter."

"Her mother's mother. Yes, I am in fact her grandmother. But Amithriel, she must never know this. It would dissolve her carefree spirit and force her to become like me. I do not want her to become like me. Estaliel likes you very much, Amithriel. Though she does not show it, I can tell that she likes you very much. She will not admit this. She is stubborn like her father but kind hearted like her mother."

"My lady Estaliel is very beautiful."

"You like her as well. The difference between the two of you is that you show your feelings. She tries very hard to conceal them."

"My Lady Galadriel, does she love me?"

"No," came the cold yet soft reply. "Not yet. But she will come to love you, unless the course of events in the future."

"Is it certain that she will love me?"

"My boy, nothing in this world is certain."

"Is love certain?"

"Yes. Love is very certain. But only in the present. Never in the future."

"My lady, do you know if I will take a bride, and if so, will it be her."

Lady Galadriel smiled. "I know that you will take a bride, but I'm not going to tell you who it would be. Would you like to look into the mirror?" she asked, gesturing to a silver bowl on a stand with a jug of water.

"Thank you, my lady."

They walked over to the bowl together, and she poured the water in the jug into the bowl.

"Look," she softly commanded.

"What will the mirror show me?" he asked, a little afraid of what he would see.

"What was, what is, and what will be. Sometimes even the wisest cannot discern the mirror's images."

Amithriel nodded, and looked down. At first, all he saw was himself, but then the water churned. It suddenly stopped. He could see himself under a white arch adorned with pink roses and green vines. He was dressed in traditional elvish male wedding clothes. To the right of him stood a female elf dressed in traditional elvish female wedding clothes. In between them was Lord Elrond who appeared to be giving the wedding service. Behind them were Gimli, Merry and Legolas. Though Amithriel couldn't see her face, he could tell that she was beautiful.

Suddenly, a great darkness covered the sky. Screams were heard from every which direction. Legolas drew his bow, Gimli held his axe tensely and Merry drew his sword from his hilt. Then, they faded into nothing, as did Lord Elrond. Soon, all that was left standing was he and the woman, but soon the woman faded as well. He drew his sword from his hilt as if it would help at all, and jumped into the darkness. When he did, he saw his wife being beaten, Legolas's bow being snapped in half and then whipped with it, Gimli being chopped to bits with his own axe and Merry having a sword duel with the hand. Amithriel quickly chopped the hands off but they kept on growing back.

He couldn't watch it anymore. He lifted his head from the bowl and looked at the Lady Galadriel.

"Shall this be my future?"

Galadriel saw the confusion on his face. "Would you like me to explain it to you?"

Amithriel nodded, still stricken with fear.

"You shall marry a beautiful she-elf. She will be very good to you and you will have many children. You will love her more than anything. But trial will come and it will be up to you to defend your loved ones. Amithriel, that future is fading now that you have chosen to take this quest. But if you turn back, it will lighten. What do you choose?"

There was a moment of silence as he collected his thoughts.

"What do you choose?" she asked, only louder this time.

There was another moment of silence.

"I choose Estaliel."

"What did you say?"

"I choose Estaliel."

Galadriel beamed at him. But she faded into the darkness.

He looked up.

"Thank you, Lady Galadriel!"


	7. There Is Hope In Love

**I have decided that you shall be surprised by the outcome of this chapter. I had planned something else, but this will do for today.**

 **Special announcement: My writing partner and I have started forming the idea of a new book. It is going to pick up after the whole episode with Faramir and Éowyn. We haven't worked out all the details yet, but we can tell you that it is going to be a full fledged romance.**

 **BTW: Merry, Elrond, Legolas and Gimli are Tolkien's, Estaliel's name is from my friend and the rest is mine! Enjoy!**

The next day, Elrond proclaimed that Estaliel would be able to ride a horse. He didn't say whose horse. Naturally, it was Amithriel's.

As Amithriel helped her up into the saddle, she slipped off and landed right in his arms. Their faces were just a breath away from each other's, and Estaliel blushed. Amithriel helped her back up into the horse saddle. He got up behind her and tucked a safe, strong arm around her waist.

Elrond and Legolas looked at each other with a mischievous glance. Their game was working perfectly.

Amithriel seemed to make perfect conversation with her the entire time. Once, Gimli and Legolas rode up beside them and Gimli whispered to her, "He stayed by your side the entire time. Even when you were unconscious he talked to you."

"What else did I do, Master dwarf?"

Gimli frowned. "Would the lady like to know about the dwarfish women?"

"Indeed I would, Master Gimli. Is it true that they really have beards?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, some women can grow beards longer than the men!" Estaliel laughed. "Unfortunately they are small in number. There are not many dwarf women left and people are afraid that we shall all go away. The other percentage believes that we don't need dwarf women because we all come from stone which is of course the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard in my one hundred eighty-three years of living."

Legolas looked at Estaliel and she laughed even harder.

"And what about hobbits, Master Brandybuck? What of them? How did they become?" Estaliel asked Merry.

Merry grinned at being acknowledged. "Well, hobbits know very well the love story between two small people. It was Havlk the Fat and Kara the Hairy. She had oddly shaped feet after eating poisonous mushrooms. They were covered in leathery warts, and soon enough, they covered all of her feet. Havlk was extremely fat in the belly and he fell in love with Kara. They had eight boys who were all short, fat, and had leather soled feet. The first one was named Hobart, but he couldn't say Hobart, he could only say Hobbit. That was what they called themselves from then on. Their youngest child ate so much that they developed seven meals for him: breakfast, second breakfast, elevensies, tea, lunch, supper and dinner."

Gimli glared at Merry for stealing his thunder. "I suppose that you think that your story is better than that of a dwarf's?"

Merry nodded.

"Why, I'll get you, you little pot bellied child," he cried, jumping off of his horse.

Merry took out an apple and threw it at Gimli, smacking him square in the face.

Gimli roared with fury, and Merry roared with laughter. The chase of the two began.

From up on a hill he watched. He looked at his fellow companions. " _ **Az nauzd golug agor. Nazd albai. Bugd u marg. Marg tak. Rang golgi u az. Az narg –(i)d khobd. Gorgor tak! Shog agor! Throqu hosh! Obrish khobd! Marg! Marg! Marg!"**_ (this means in orc, "I smell elf blood. We are near elves. Call to attack. Attack them. Leave female elf to me. I want her head. Slaughter them! Drink their blood! Devour their guts! Cut off their heads! Attack! Attack! Attack!")

Obkhurg and his band of hobgoblins raced down the hill on their werewargs. A dreadfully horrid smile crossed his lips as he eyed the female elf that had escaped him many nights before. He threw himself off of his werewarg at her. In mid air, he took out a bow and arrow. Before he could shoot the first arrow, Amithriel took out his swords and sliced the bow in half.

"Keep your hands off her, _**glob**_!" he yelled. ( _ **Glob**_ means filth.)

Obkhurg growled at Amithriel and threw him off of the racing horse. Luckily, Legolas reached out and grabbed his hand before he touched the ground. Gimli jumped off of the horse and swung his axe around at the hobgoblins and werewargs. Legolas started rapidly shooting arrows, and Amithriel did the same this as Gimli did, but he chased after Estaliel's horse.

"Get off of her, you filth!" he screamed, shooting an arrow at his arm. The orc growled, but continued to attack Estaliel from behind.

She took her dagger and plunged it into his hand. He screamed and fell off. She rode her horse over to him to trample him to the ground, but before she was able, a hobgoblin came out from behind the trees and shot her with a poisonous arrow. She felt it delve into her arm. A sickening feeling immediately came over her, and she fell off the horse. Obkhurg pulled the dagger from his flesh and took out his machete. He walked over to her and raised it. Amithriel's eyes widened.

"You're the filth that killed my mother," Estaliel stammered.

" _ **Az gor –(i)d**_ ," he confirmed.

Estaliel got up, but he forced her to the ground. His eyes told her what he was going to do.

Amithriel searched for her. Then, he saw it. Mid swing up. Adrenaline pulsed through him. He got up and ran to the hobgoblin filth. Such filth above his beloved Estaliel. About to kill her. Amithriel threw himself on Obkhurg and brought him to the ground. He sliced the hobgoblin's arm off. He howled in pain and threw Amithriel into the nearest tree. He got up and yelled something, and all of the hobgoblins and werewargs retreated. Amithriel got the air back inside of him as it was knocked out of him completely and he ran over to Estaliel who was sprawled out on the ground. He kneeled above her as he did those many nights when she was recovering from her injury.

She grasped his hand and looked up into his deep blue eyes. The grasp was the kind that you'd receive when you're trying to comfort a dying man on a battlefield who wants you to save him from any fate that would befall him. But you can't. An unrecognizable color seeped into the whites of her eyes. It looked like a pussy yellow, but it also looked like a bruised purple. Even in her pain and injuries she was the most beautiful thing in the world.

"Amithriel (cough) I have simply (cough wheeze) got to tell you something (wheeze cough wheeze)."

"No, save your breath."

"I wouldn't (sputter wheeze) tell you this (cough wheeze) otherwise (sputter) but I have to tell you (gurgle) before I die (gurgle). I like you very much. I (cough cough) respect you greatly (sputter). Thank you (cough) for everything (gurgle wheeze) you've done for me (wheeze)."

Amithriel's tears ran freely down his face. He took her hand and gently ran his lips across her battle scarred knuckles. "And I you, Estaliel. You aren't going to die, Estaliel."

"Amithriel, you are the best friend (wheeze cough gurgle sputter wheeze) I could ever (sputter) hope for. Goodbye."

And he watched her go before his eyes. "*Posto Vae," he whispered (this means rest well in elvish).

Elrond conducted the funeral service on top of the rock. It was too much for them all to bear. Legolas was completely stricken with grief. His tears ran down his face as freely as they were able. Gimli was also stricken with grief. His tears were much bigger. Merry cried and cried and cried and it looked as if no one would be able to pull him away from his misery. It was even harder for Elrond who said the elvish prayers that sent her to the Undying Lands.

And then there was Amithriel.

Amithriel.

His face was drenched in tears. His head was hung down. He looked as if he might die himself.

The service ended. Everyone walked away.

Except him. He looked at her peaceful body lying on the rock's edge. She couldn't die. She was too young. It was so unfair for her to die the way she did.

He couldn't help it any longer. He had to.

"Amithriel, what are you doing?" Legolas called back. "She's not coming back!"

"Don't kiss her," Elrond said as Amithriel knelt down before her. "You could die from the poison pulsing through her body."

"Or she could wake up from knowing that she was loved. I would rather go to my grave by the touch of her lips, Lord Elrond, than go on as if nothing happened at all."

Amithriel bent his head low and carefully pressed his sweet, life filled lips to her cold yet sweet, deathly feeling lips. He slowly pulled away, reluctant to break what he had for so long wanted.

A flicker shot across her face. A flicker of life. She blinked. Breath came pulsing back through her lungs. She looked right into his eyes and smiled. "Amithriel, I have to tell you something."

"What is it, Estaliel?"

"I – now, I just forgot what it was. Ah! I – now I've forgotten. Oh! I've just remembered. You have the most gorgeous eyes."

Amithriel smiled and looked at Elrond.

"I – I – I don't believe it!" the older elf stuttered.

"There are ancient poems that say that if a person has died they have two days in darkness before they are sent to Eru for judgment and if they are showed that they were loved before the forty-eight hours are up, they can be revived. My tutor showed them to me when I was younger."

Estaliel tapped his shoulder. "I have no idea what either of you are talking about, so I am going to ask that you help me up."

Amithriel smiled. "That I can do, my lady." He took her hand and helped her up.

To this day, Estaliel never found out about the kiss on the rock.


	8. More Than They Show

**We are going to be joining the City in the Clouds this morning! I'm super pumped and I don't know about you! Have the end of the book reeling through my mind (lol). These characters are just taking over the whole story and I just love it so much! (This is what I had planned for Chapter 7 but then the hobgoblins showed up and I had no idea how they got there!) I'm so sorry that I didn't publish sooner (school was starting so it got kind of hectic.**

 **BTW: Merry, Elrond, Legolas and Gimli are Tolkien's, Estaliel's name is from my friend and the rest is mine! Enjoy!**

After a couple of days, Estaliel told Elrond that she had no pain in her arm (as had been the case the day before) and she wanted to ride a horse. Elrond consented, and he allowed her to ride a horse but only if she would ride with another person. Legolas insisted that Amithriel needed to save his strength to fight future hobgoblins, so Estaliel was forced to sit with Legolas on his horse.

To keep her from falling off of the horse, they took strong ropes and tied her to the horse. They also gave her a dagger so that if hobgoblins would happen to attack, she would be able to cut herself free.

Then, they reached the _**Oron mii Fanyare.**_

 _ **Oron mii Fanyare.**_

The Mountain in the Sky.

The tallest mountain in the world. And they had to climb it.

Elrond swung himself down off of the pony. "Why are you doing that?" Gimli huffed.

"We shan't be taking these fine horses. It might kill them," came the cool reply.

"I can't go on foot up a large mountain. It might kill me! Besides, why can't we go over the river in the valley? That would be quicker!" gasped Gimli.

Legolas pulled Gimli down off of his horse. "We wouldn't be able to go over the river quite as fast. It would take a week to build a boat. Besides, Lord Elrond is right. These horses have served us well, and it is time for us to return the favor."

"And what about me?" asked Merry. "Must I give up my horse too?"

"Yes, Master Brandybuck. You must give up your horse too," Elrond said.

"Estaliel can have the horse, can't she?" Legolas asked.

"She is our only exception. You must guide the horse, Master Greenleaf." Elrond hurried over to her horse and took her hand in his. "You have simply got to be careful, my dear Estaliel." He kissed her hand gently.

"I will, _**atto**_ ," she said in a joking manner. ( _ **Atto**_ means father in a sarcastic way.)

"I am serious, Estaliel. I love you very much and it would kill me if anything happened to you."

She leaned down and kissed the top of his head. "I will be as careful as I possibly can for you."

He smiled. "That is a good girl. Now stay on that horse until we decide to let him free."

Estaliel nodded. "I will."

Amithriel watched the scene from a safe distance, and his heart dropped. Elrond was intended for her. He was not. She was high royalty. He was the dust beneath her feet. He could never have her even if he wanted to. And he would just have to accept that.

On their way up, they heard a delighted shout from the back of the line. "I found it!" Merry cried. He burst out of the trees with thirty six apples in his arms; seven for five days, and one for just because.

"Master Brandybuck!" Amithriel exclaimed. "You should not yell so! You will scare the horse."

"I'm not scary to any horse with a bunch of apples in my arms. I bet you wish you had apples. I'm not giving any away. These will only last me five days, you know."

"Five days!" Amithriel cried. "Why, you could eat one apple per day and be happy with thirty six days."

"But then it takes thirty six days, and I am not very patient for anything. It will fill my belly up."

"More than it needs to be filled, Master Brandybuck," called Lord Elrond. "Now come, both of you. It won't do any good to stand there and argue about apples."

Merry stuck his ninety year old tongue out at Amithriel and they continued on their hike. He began to parade around everyone with his apples and held them up in the air screaming and yelling. Elrond had enough, so he turned around and made all of Merry's apples turn to stone. Merry gasped and looked at him.

"That is quite enough, Master Brandybuck," Elrond said as he put his staff back. "Now stop this nonsense immediately!"

Merry let the stones roll down the hill, and hung his head. Estaliel reached into her bag and gave him thirty seven apples that she had picked up at the bottom of the mountain. "There, Master Brandybuck. Just don't parade this time. Alright?"

Merry nodded enthusiastically and they continued on.

"Why did you do that?" Legolas asked. "He is never going to learn."

"And he would have to find his apples by himself. I would rather give them to him than to watch the sad look on his face if he had no apples." She made a pouty face to Legolas and he rolled his eyes.

Somehow, they reached the top. With all of the strength in them, they reached the top. It had taken a few days and they had to let the horse go down, but they did what they set up to do. And at the very top was the City in the Clouds.

"It is said that only elves can walk through," Elrond said.

"What about me? I will fall to the river! We should've just made the boat like we planned," Gimli cried.

"He's right," Legolas added. "With his size, he'll sink right through those clouds."

Gimli glared at Legolas. "I'll not forget that, you princeling."

"And me! I won't be able to walk on them," Merry said.

"Only two people can pass through the front gate at a time," Elrond said, "so here are some holocaust cloaks." He passed around three of the ankle long black cloaks.

"But why holocaust cloaks?" Amithriel asked. "And why only three? Are there not six of us?"

"There are three because you are pairing up. And we are using holocaust cloaks because that is what I have. Amithriel and Estaliel shall be a group, Legolas and Gimli, and I shall take Merry."

They slipped under the long cloaks together with Gimli on Legolas's back and Merry on Elrond's back, and they went up to the gate.

The elf at the gate looked at them and his eyes widened as if he were looking at the Black Riders all over again. "I suppose that you all want through at once?" he asked nervously, afraid that they would attack him.

"If you want no trouble, you will let us proceed as planned," Gimli grumbled.

"Go ahead then," the guard said.

The group proceeded through the gates. Gimli shifted on Legolas's back, making a strange form on the back. Merry stayed perfectly still (surprisingly) and Estaliel walked along with Amithriel even though she was quite a bit shorter than him (for an elf, she was very short).

The City in the Clouds was very high up off the ground. The houses were small but made of the clouds. The furniture appeared to be made out of the clouds too. It was nothing like Estaliel had ever seen before! Everyone just went about their daily business as normally as they could and the elves never looked as beautiful as they did in that instant. Their clothes were made of pure white and it would go along with any color hair that they had. They all moved so gracefully that it made the elves from Rivendell and even Lothlorien seem like clumsy fools. They did not speak, they only moved as gracefully as was allowed them.

Sooner or later, they made it through. Amithriel and Estaliel took off of their hood, Legolas and Gimli theirs and Elrond and Merry theirs. Legolas groaned as he stretched out his back.

"What is the matter, dear brother?" Estaliel asked.

"We should've taken the boat," he grumbled.

"I heard that!" Gimli shouted.

"Come now, stop this bickering!" Elrond said. "You sound like little children. Besides, we must make it down this half of the mountain. Come along! All of you!"

They cautiously proceeded down the mountain with Merry on his fourth apple. They ran until they reached the bottom, and at the bottom started a path. It looked as if it weaved its way along the countryside forever. It was a dirt path, and the valleys were deep but wide. The grass was greener than they had ever seen before and that made all of the birds brighter.

"Let us rest, Lord Elrond," Gimli pleaded. "My legs shall soon give out."

"And mine!" Legolas cried out.

Elrond considered this. "Alright. We may stay here and make camp but we leave at dawn."

Everyone nodded gratefully and sat down.

At dinner, Legolas and Estaliel were asked to go out and pick some berries and find some food. They took metal pails with them and headed down to the creek. Legolas found a patch of berries and she found another. He found it the perfect time to make conversation.

"You simply must take a bath my dear Estaliel. You are starting to smell."

Estaliel gasped at him. "You need to wash that hair of yours. It is starting to get caked with mud."

"Oh really?"

"Yes really, and I think that perhaps you should take better care of it."

Legolas picked up a handful of mud and hurled it at her. It hit her right in the abdomen, and she cried out in pain. It was now her turn. She picked up two handfuls of mud and hurled them both into his hair! He gasped and picked up some more. Soon enough, the two of them both looked like the bottom of the creek itself.

They trudged back to camp soon enough and Gimli started laughing (he was laughing more at Legolas than he was at anything else). "What are the two of you thinking?" Elrond yelled. "You are dirtier than an alligator swimming at the bottom of the creek. Go bathe yourselves at once!"

Legolas and Estaliel nodded, trudging off to face their doom. Estaliel took her clothes off and hung them on a bush, and then she plunged into the freezing water. Legolas did the same.

She took the clothes from the bushes and worked out all of the mud, when suddenly she heard a noise from behind the tree. "I know that you are there, Master Elf."

"Elrond said that I was supposed to come and check on you. You were taking longer than he wanted you to."

Estaliel nodded. "Thank you, Amithriel."

There was some silence.

"You want to ask me something. What is your question?"

Amithriel gulped down the fresh air while he could. "It would anger you greatly if I asked so I shall not."

"Amithriel, I could not be angered by this question. Ask me."

"I saw the intimacy between you and Lord Elrond. I wanted to know if you are betrothed to him?"

"What? Betrothed to Lord Elrond? Never! He is so much older than me and he has been married. No, Lord Elrond is my adopted father. Why do you ask?"

Amithriel's face paled. He couldn't lie to her but he couldn't tell her that he wanted to marry her. Now was not the time. "I was just wondering if you were in any way connected to him by matrimony."

Estaliel could've laughed but she contained herself. "No. Lord Elrond is married to my aunt which makes him my uncle, but ever since my father made it quite clear that the only person he wished in his house was Aria my brother, Legolas and I have looked to Elrond more as a father than an uncle."

Amithriel looked down at his feet uncomfortably. "I apologize for my awkward misunderstanding. Your father, he does not want you?"

"No. He only ever wanted an heir to his throne. I never fit that position, and neither did Legolas. He hates both of us and never wants to see us again. The only thing that matters to him is his precious throne."

"I'm ever so sorry."

Estaliel was now in her clothes and right beside him. "It was none of your doing. Thranduil just wanted everything for himself. He wouldn't even allow Legolas to marry the captain of the guard. My brother has been through more than he shows."

Amithriel looked at Legolas who was sitting by the campfire roasting a duck that they had shot. "Your father hated him as well?"

"Yes. All he wanted was Aria to be king if he would ever die because Aria is just as rude and conceited as he. My family history is a sad one. Aunt Celebrian died after my mother of a broken heart which left Lord Elrond all by himself. Legolas and I started visiting him more often than not, and sooner or later he made it clear that he wanted to be our father. I was sent to Lady Galadriel my grandmother to be trained as a proper lady or even princess."

Amithriel nodded. "If you could wish for anything right now, what would it be?"

Estaliel pondered this. "Probably to go back to my father and kiss his cheeks and tell him how much I love him. Then he would take me into his arms and tell me how sorry he was for how he had treated me all these years."

He nodded again and put his arm around her as her tears started to fall. She had been through more than she showed as well.


	9. Growing In and Growing Out

**Welcome back once again for another chapter of They Called Her Estaliel! If you have any suggestions whatsoever about something that I should add into the story, feel free to leave a comment down below! Helpful criticism is much needed (I have had one comment about a name change) so I would beg that you do leave something for me to work on.**

 **A warm thanks to LAgrad for favoriting (I hope that the rest of this story can reach your expectations!)!**

 **You know the drill, a ton is mine, a ton is Peter Jackson's, a ton is Tolkien's and Estaliel's name is from my friend. Enjoy!**

The next day Elrond made the whole company pick up their bedrolls and move out. They were going to be traveling on the road that seemed to go on forever.

Legolas walked beside Amithriel, and smirked as he saw him eye up Estaliel from behind. "Amithriel, you have an eye for beautiful things."

Amithriel was completely taken by surprise. "How so?" he stuttered.

"Come now, Amithriel! Are we not good friends? And do friends not tell each other most everything? I mean of course my sister, and you cannot tell me that she is not a sight for the sorest of eyes."

"That she is indeed. I mean, I never noticed."

Legolas raised a brow and deepened his smirk. "Aha. Then how can you explain the kiss on the cliff?"

Amithriel started to get annoyed. "I did it because she was no use to us dead. You wanted her alive, I'm sure?"

"Of course I wanted her alive. I'm just wondering why on Middle Earth would you be the one to kiss her? Gimli could've kissed her as well."

"Yes, but Lord Gimli didn't know why."

Legolas raised an eyebrow and sighed. He was getting nowhere with Amithriel. Perhaps he should try Estaliel. No, she would probably try to decapitate him or something of the dirty sort. He chuckled at his little sister's dirty warfare (it was very dirty). Her braids were whipped to the side when she tossed her hair and he had to admit that she was a very beautiful young lady.

Estaliel had heard a little bit of their conversation, but not enough to know what was going on. She shrugged it off and continued down the path next to Lord Elrond. Anything her brother was saying was probably nothing worth listening to.

Amithriel had mixed feelings about the conversation Legolas had just tried out with him. What did it mean? Was Legolas matchmaking? Did he have to be concerned about something? He did know that it was official. If he wanted to say anything to Estaliel now he would have to say it in private or else Legolas and Elrond would come up with a reason for the two of them to be married. Did he want to marry Estaliel? He wasn't so sure. Did he think her beautiful? He thought her the most beautiful thing on earth. Why did Legolas and Elrond have to tease him for his feelings? Who knew?

Elrond heard the entire conversation and smirked lightly to himself. Estaliel needed someone to love her more than life itself. The real medicine was for her to love them in return. She was afraid to love. I mean, she loved her family and closest friends as she should, but it was like getting a toddler to try new foods. They didn't want to do it because it smelled disgusting, their older siblings didn't like it and told them about it or that they were just afraid to try it. She liked Amithriel. She'd gone as far as to admit it to him in his direct face. But she could never love him. Maybe this matchmaking business wasn't any good anymore. He needed a new battle tactic.

They traveled on for a few more hours, and then Elrond stopped the group and pointed.

"Look there yonder!" he cried. "The docks and the sea over across the valley! Don't you see the sun setting on it? It is the sign of pure beauty."

The company decided that they would settle for the night. Estaliel had night watch. She was seated on a rock looking far into the sky. A faint sea breeze smell drifted under her nose, and so did the faint smell of pine needles and oak wood. Amithriel.

She had grown to respect him very much. The very smell of him set her at ease and so did his gentle way of doing things. He suddenly became one of the most comforting people in all of Middle Earth. She was going to greet him and invite him to sit next to her, but he beat her to it.

"May I sit next to you, Lady Estaliel?" his smooth and firm voice said.

"I would be delighted for the company," she said, and patted the spot next to her. He sat down and looked up at the sky. "Couldn't sleep?"

"Yes. I have more and more trouble sleeping as we near the docks."

She nodded. "Well, elves don't need sleep. Someone covered for you."

He chuckled under his breath. "I suppose they did."

She looked up at the constellations and pointed to the white dwarf that she had seen with Legolas that first night in Rivendell. "There's the _**Nim Naugol**_. He's holding a bow and arrow."

"That he is."

She stood up and gave him a moment of silence before continuing the conversation. "I never thanked you for saving me from the giant hobgoblin. I could've died."

Amithriel smiled to himself because of the truth and stood up to join her in pacing. "I would've done the same for anyone else."

"No. I'm serious. I have been so cold to you in the past. You didn't deserve that. Why did you want to save me?"

"Because you have a life worth saving. And I thought that you were going to die. I saved you because you are precious in my heart. I would've done the same for Gimli or Legolas or Merry or even Lord Elrond himself, but you have taken a place in my heart that if you died, no one could replace." Silence. "I need to ask you something."

"Anything."

"Do you trust me?"

Estaliel stopped pacing and turned to face him, taking his large hands in her small ones. "Amithriel, you have saved my life time and time again. I have such a large debt to pay you that it seems almost impossible. I don't even know how I will repay you. Amithriel, son of Amerithon, I trust you with my entire life."

Amithriel brought her to him in a tight embrace. "And your life is safe with me." He released his tight embrace just enough so that he could see her face.

"I wish I could do more to protect you as you have for me."

His heart melted in two. "Oh, Estaliel." He lowered his face so that it was a breath away from hers. Her heart felt as if it would pound right out of her and her breath got quick and heavy. He tilted his head and cautiously pressed his lips to hers.

Her heart stopped pounding and skipped eight beats. How was this happening to her? Amithriel, the prim and proper little elf who was once scared of his own shadow, kissing her? If someone had told her this about a year ago, she would've laughed in their face. No, Amithriel would never have kissed her then.

She gripped the front of his shirt tightly to keep from falling to the ground. He wrapped his arms around her more tightly now because of her desperate move. Soon enough, her arms moved up his neck and placed themselves around his neck. The whole of her insides turned upside down and she felt as if she might faint. She had never imagined what this would feel like, being a warrior and a lady all at the same time. There was never time for such frivolous daydreams. Now it seemed as if she had desired this moment all her life.

He slowly pulled away, reluctant to break the kiss, and placed his forehead on top of hers to try and keep his heart from racing out of his chest.

Estaliel suddenly found a stronghold in his arms. She didn't want to leave them at all, but it would be dishonorable if she didn't. She nestled into his strong arms and sighed a shaky but contented sigh. Her head she rested on his chest and waited for her heart to stop beating so rapidly.

Amithriel held her in his arms. Her body was more delicate than he had expected, but the kiss was so much better when she was alive than when she was dead. He wanted to stay, but if he did he would bring dishonor upon himself and her. "I must go back to the others," he whispered tenderly.

She nodded numbly in his arms and felt the upper part of his arms before letting go of him. It seemed as if he would never come back to her but she knew that that was far from true. He kissed the knuckles of both her hands before he left for his bedroll.

Estaliel stood there in the dark hoping that that would not be the last time that it happened to her. Amithriel was so much more than just an elf now. He was where she would go to if she needed comfort or advice and his arms would always be opened and ready for her. Now she just needed to grow out of Legolas's arms. That would not be an easy task.


	10. We're Going On a (Very Long) Adventure!

**Surprise for that last chapter! Sorry that it was so short, but I just couldn't wait any longer for that moment. I hope that you enjoy this one just as much, but I don't think that it will give you quite that romantic thrill.**

 **A whole lot is mine, a bunch of things are Tolkien's and Estaliel's name is my friends. Enjoy!**

Estaliel sat back down on the rock where she had been. All she wanted was for him to come back and hold her in his arms. But if he did come back, honor would be on the line.

Honor. Why did there have to be such a thing? If there were no such thing as honor, then he would have been able to stay all night if he pleased. If honor never existed then he could've held her in his arms for as long as he pleased. But no, if honor didn't exist then I suppose that some of Middle Earth's fines heroes might not be heroes. If Frodo didn't want to take the ring to Mt. Doom (which he did because of honor and loyalty), then the whole world could've come to an end under Sauron's dominion. So I suppose that honor was a good thing. But only in cases like that. In romantic cases such as hers it was desperate.

Amithriel laid himself down on his bedroll and gave a satisfied sigh. He had never thought that that was the lady that he would kiss, but apparently Eru had different plans. He only wondered if she thought it as wonderful as he did. He prayed that she did. Great day in the morning if she did. He knew that he could never have her for his own because she was the daughter of a king; a princess. What in the world could he have been thinking? She was but a princess, and he… well, he was nothing but a lowly elf. Their circumstances were rather the same. Their fathers had kicked them both out of their lives. They made it quite clear that they never wanted to see them again. They were both cruel and heartless. Did Estaliel replace that gap that his father had made long ago? No, a woman could never fill the place of a man.

As she walked next to Amithriel, the familiar scent of oak wood and pine needles wisped themselves into her nose. She inhaled a bit more to have at least a few more seconds of the comforting smell.

Legolas had been watching their actions all day long. It was absolutely hysterical! They had obviously had some kind of revelation last night that they had shared with each other or perhaps a new chapter of love had begun. He tried to contain his snickers as Lord Elrond walked beside him.

"Legolas, you act very strangely today. What is the matter?" Elrond asked, curious to see if it was about Estaliel and Amithriel.

"Nothing, sir," Legolas said as he tried not to explode.

"You are laughing about your sister?"

Legolas nodded.

"They are funny to watch."

"Indeed they are. Estaliel hasn't made a smart remark to him all day. Something happened between them."

Elrond raised a brow. "Indeed. I have already discovered that I need to do something else to get them to fall in love with each other. Amithriel is already running down the path, I just need to get Estaliel onto the path."

Legolas chuckled to himself. "Elrond, I think that Estaliel is quite well on her way as well on this path you speak of."

"Oh? How so?"

"Haven't you noticed how she walks nearer to him than she does to me as she did yesterday? And that whenever they are together they are making conversation into dramatic effects? Come now, Lord Elrond, have you not noticed all these things?"

"I confess, Legolas that I have not. You have a keener sense of these things. In fact, why don't you try to encourage them, get them to be with one another as often as you possibly can. I have already proven my works a fail, so why don't you go ahead and take my place?"

Legolas mulled this through his head, and then nodded. "I would be delighted to do this," he said. "After all, my sister needs him as much as he needs her."

They hadn't noticed that they had stopped right in the middle of the path while everyone kept going. Estaliel looked behind and gestured to them to come on.

"What's the matter?" Amithriel asked.

"Nothing. Just some childish nonsense of my brother's," Estaliel said.

Amithriel nodded, and they continued on down the path.

In a few hours time, they reached the docks. The town that was before the docks was crowded with busy people living their busy lives. It was called Kempler, and it was a very productive fishing town. There were farmers that lived on the outskirts of Kempler that had big farms that produced mainly crops (if they weren't crops then they would be taxed an extra fee every year). The mayor of the town was a fat stupid man named Beffler Jim. He taxed the people so that he could have more wonderful things in his house, but he also taxed them because of the pirates of the Southern Seas. They were the most deadly pirates, and if they held a town under siege, they wouldn't leave until they got paid a certain amount of money. It had happened several times, and even in the Beffler's stupidity (people called him 'The Beffler'), he knew that conditions had to be just so that if the pirates would come and siege their village, they would always leave right away with the ransom money. So the two main things that Kempler made their money off of were fish and crops. There were few other stores in Kempler that sold much else.

The Beffler's son had done away with his father's stupidness (and his father's name), but he commanded the militia of the small town. His name was Charles Peters. All of the ladies were entranced by him, and if he found them to be entrancing, he would ensnare them in a trap of his own. He had thick light red hair with orange eyes (you'd think that his eyes would be blue). He mainly wore his city's color which was blue. There was no doubt that this Charles Peter was in fact a very hansom man.

Another person was waiting for them at Kempler. She was a mysterious stranger and she wore a hood over her face to conceal her true beauty. Her hair was a deeper red, and all who passed her by could see the sharp green lanterns flickering underneath the hood. She watched everything and perceived all… she was waiting.

As soon as they got near the boarder of Kempler, the company was stopped by a small militia of sorts.

"Who do you be?" asked a man who was clad in navy and had a hood to conceal his face, therefore calling him out as the leader of this group.

"We are friendly merchants, wishing to purchase a boat to speed our travels," Elrond replied.

The man smirked beneath his hood. "With a dwarf and a hobbit? Tell me, what are you really doing in these parts?"

"All we do is strictly confidential and you have no business knowing what it is," Gimli yelled. Estaliel rolled her eyes and nudged Gimli sharply with her elbow.

"You are right, Master dwarf, it is none of my business, but it is my Master's business. If you do not wish to tell me, why don't you tell him what you are up to?"

"Why don't you make us?" Legolas asked, a steady grip on his bow.

"If you try to shoot me or anyone else in this militia, I would slice your head off, elf," the man said coldly.

"You would die before your stroke fell," Gimli said, pleased that he had quoted something that his best friend once said.

The man raised an eyebrow. "Tie them all up. They are liars and thieves. We shall throw them behind bars until the Master gives his final consent on the matter. Let it be known that no elf or dwarf or even hobbit shall enter the land of Kempler until these are put on trial."

They bound up everyone and took them to the jail. Everyone else shared a cell, but Estaliel got her own. It was better, bigger and more comfortable.

Around noon, the leader came to visit them (or Estaliel). He stopped in front of her and stared at her for a while until she couldn't take his watchful gaze anymore.

"Why do you stare at me as if I were an animal from the forest that you are hunting? I do not wish for your gaze to be on me any longer."

"Don't you wish to know my name?" he asked, hoping that she did.

"The only thing that I wish for now is for you to let us out of this prison. We have done nothing wrong and that was far from our intentions coming here."

"I'm sure, but you did not tell us where you were going. You could've been spies."

"For whom?"

"The pirates of the Southern Seas."

"And you really think that a hobbit, a dwarf, three male elves and a she elf are spies for that group of hooligans? Never!"

"You could say anything to get out of jail."

"Yes I would. We won't tell your master where we are going because it is none of his business."

"It is his business. Everything that goes on in this town is his business."

"Fine! My friends and I can wait! One thousand years is a mere blink in the life of an elf!"

Charles rolled his eyes and walked away. "Then you shall wait even longer."

Estaliel let out a scream of rage and kicked the cell door with all of the force that she had in her.

She had heard about their jail hold up. It had to have been something to do with that idiot dwarf's mouth. At night, she put on her cloak and ventured from her room above the tavern to the prison. She took out her dagger and picked at the lock until she finally heard a click. Carefully, she opened the door and tip toed into the silent room. Snores could be heard from all over the prison (in particularly from the jailers desk). She picked up the keys silently from the jailer's desk and found the chart on which her they were placed. She saw that their names were on the third floor, three floors down. She groaned. This would be a wonderful night.

The first cell she found was Estaliel's. She opened the door without a single noise, and clasped a hand over the princess's mouth. Her eyes flittered opened, and bulged when she came to and saw the dark figure standing over her.

"Shhh! I've come to get you out of this place! Follow me! Be quick and quiet about how you do it."

Estaliel nodded and got up. Following a stranger was so much better than staying in that reeking cell.

They got to Amithriel next. Estaliel went in and lightly placed a hand over his mouth. He woke up with a start and she whispered to him that they were leaving. He nodded and got up.

Gimli was hardest to wake up. His snores were even louder than that jailer's, so that made it equally hard to jolt him. He eventually did wake up and followed Estaliel out of the cell.

Elrond and Legolas both woke up easily, and they followed the dark figure out of the cell rooms. On their way out, Gimli bumped a table. A silver candlestick crashed to the floor, immediately putting the snores to a mute.

"Who's there?" roared the jailer.

The group looked desperately at her. "Run," she advised. "Find a ship. Quickly!"

"We left Merry Brandybuck," Estaliel whispered.

The figure's face fell beneath her hood. "I'll get him. I'll be there soon enough."

Elrond nodded and led the group out as she turned back to face the jailer.

"What are you doing here?" he grumbled.

"I apologize for waking you up, but I came to visit a friend," she said, gagging at the repulsing breath of the man. _Humans_ , she thought.

"We're after hours. The visiting time is closed."

"I have a sick brother here and I need to give him his medicine or he'll die."

The man groaned. "What's the name?"

"Uh, Merry," she said, trying to pull together the man's name.

"That don't help me none," the man grumbled.

"Merry, uh, Brandywine? No! Brandybuck!"

The man squinted at her. "If you don't even know your last name darling, you've got serious mental problems."

"I'm married," she lied. "I can't remember my maiden name half the time; it's a very sticky business you see."

"No, I don't see. If it's a matter of life and death-"

"It is!"

"Then you may see him. Cell number 32 on the third floor down."

She thanked the man, and then headed down to wake up Merry. Merry was passed out on his cot when she came. She picked the lock and it squeaked open. He opened his eyes and gasped. She shushed him and told him what she was here to do. He nodded, and she put him under her long cloak.

They made it out of the jail successfully without raising any suspicion from anyone, but when they reached the docks, they saw that a crowd was gathering near a large boat. They crept up and saw the Beffler talking to them. She groaned and stepped closer.

"And can you prove to us that you are indeed Lord Elrond?" the stupid man asked. "Who can vouch for you?"

Estaliel stepped forward and said something to the Beffler. He nodded and opened the gate to the boat. "Then you are welcome on this ship!"

The crowd cheered over something that Elrond said, and then the company boarded the boat. She pushed her way through the crowd and ran up and onto the ship's deck unseen. It was a rather large ship, but she wasn't sure how they would man it on their own. And then she heard the snores and heard the sloshing of ale. Oh. They had that filthy militia. This was going to be more fun than she had planned for, but who was to do anything about it? This was going to be the longest trip ever.


	11. The Eyes Beneath the Shadows

**What up everyone reading! Happy Labor Day! I forgot to apologize for not posting that last chapter sooner. I have made the decision that from now on I am strictly posting on weekends (we may slip a few weekdays in with that deal, and if anything changes I'll say something as not to confuse y'all). It is all just too much for me to post on weekdays with school and all that good stuff (today is like the only exception since it's Labor Day). I hope for all of you students that it has been a great year so far (mine has been) and that you're having a lot of fun (there's still fun AFTER summer, right?). We see quite a bit about Estaliel's mother in this chapter, and that is the same with Amithriel's back story. Well, enjoy this chapter!**

 **A bunch is Tolkien's. A whole lot is mine. Estaliel's name is my friend's. Enjoy!**

It was only the second day on this Eru-forsaken boat and already everybody was unhappy. That militia stank worse than ever and the mysterious elf was sulking as well.

Legolas wondered a lot about her. Why would she hide her face? Perhaps she had been running for a long time from a slave master and couldn't show her face for fear that the master would find her. Maybe it was an abusive husband looking for her. Or perhaps a group of hobgoblins put her head on the infamous Black Market. It had to have been that. But it could've been…him. From everything Elrond said, it sounded like she had planned to join the company sooner or later and she could've put her hood over her face for just this journey. Then Legolas had a battle of the thoughts.

 _Wait a minute…_

 _What if it is her?_

 _You mean that she elf from two life times ago?_

 _Yes! The one that we loved. Could it be her?_

 _Never! She was long gone by the time we returned for her. No, it couldn't be her._

 _But it could be her! What if it is her?_

 _It couldn't possibly be her. She wasn't even in love with us._

 _We could test her._

 _We could._

 _She would know that we know who she doesn't want us to know._

 _True._

 _Let's do it. Test her, I mean._

 _Yes, yes, let's!_

Legolas drew an arrow to his bow and stretched it out. He loved that familiar feel beneath his hands as he drew it. Elrond used to say that he was too familiar with it, but as long as it was the most natural thing to him in the whole world, it didn't matter how familiar he was with it, he was just always going to be able to defend himself. He aimed at her, but in the flash of a second, she had drawn her own bow and pointed it at him. She saw who it was and pointed it down.

"I thought you were an orc."

 _I told you it was her._

Legolas smirked. "Tell me, who are you really?"

"That is none of your concern. If it doesn't help you fight better, then it is of no importance to you."

"Then why do you wear the hood?"

An eyebrow shot up in the darkness of her hood. "So my identity can be protected from hobgoblins, orcs, goblins, and sneaky elves like you. Tell me, do you always inquire after women's personal lives?"

Legolas ignored the question. "Take the hood off."

Wow. That was blunt. No shame. "Why?"

"I want to see if you are indeed Tauriel of the Woodland Realm."

"If you are so brave, then why don't you come and take off the hood yourself."

Legolas raised his eyebrow, but curiosity got the better of him. He stepped up and onto the platform where she stood. She somehow stayed glued to her spot as he fingered the material of her hood. Slowly and carefully he lifted it off of her face. It was indeed Tauriel.

"Surprise," she whispered. Legolas laughed and embraced her. There was much laughing and joyous sounds as she embraced him back.

"Where did you go after the battle at Erebor? I thought that I'd never find you again!"

Tauriel laughed as she stepped back from the embrace. "Well, I traveled to Lothlorien and stayed there for a while in the shadows, but then I went to Rivendell. Elrond asked me to come but I had business to attend to in the North. I said that I would join you at Kempler, so here I am!"

Legolas laughed and shook his head. "Look at you! Last time I saw you, you were at the battle. You've changed much."

"So have you. It is so good to see you smile again. Last time I saw you, your eyes looked almost frozen. Much has changed, my dear friend, much has changed."

Estaliel heard the laughing from below the deck and hurried up the steps to see what the matter was. She saw Tauriel and gasped.

"Tauriel!" she shouted, and ran over to them, quickly embracing her.

"Estaliel, you have grown much since I last saw you! How have you been?"

"I have been just as well as I can be. And you! You have grown as well, _**mellon**_! Tell me, how did the road of life treat you? I saw you once or twice at Lothlorien but I never thought to greet you. My apologies."

"There is no need for apologies, Estaliel. The road of life has treated me fairly and it looks like it has done the same to you."

"Do you have any new dwarf friends?" Legolas asked, a hint of jealousy in his tone.

Estaliel glared at him and kicked him in the shins. He grimaced and glared back at her.

"I don't take to making friends with the dwarfs anymore." Legolas and Estaliel knew all too well of how the dwarf she liked had broken her heart when he died. Estaliel shivered in disgust whenever she heard about it, but she declined to say anything.

"Will you be with us to the end of the journey?" Estaliel asked.

"I think that I shall return to Middle Earth at the end of the journey. My time there is not over yet." Estaliel noticed as Legolas raised both of his eyebrows. She had to do something about the two of them for revenge on her and Amithriel.

At dinner that night, Tauriel was introduced to Merry, Gimli and Amithriel. Funny, she looked exactly like him. It was nothing, probably.

Merry liked this Tauriel very much. They had a sparring match after dinner and it was quite funny. She won (she was handier with a blade), but it was a close match.

It must've been ten o'clock at night, and Amithriel was up on the deck, enjoying the stars. Estaliel came out from her cabin and went onto the deck to get some cool fresh night air. He heard her walking toward him and turned around, leaning back on the railing.

"Hello, Amithriel," she said as she climbed up the little ladder to the platform on which he stood.

"Good evening, Estaliel. Would you care to join me?"

She nodded and leaned against the railing next to him, looking out over the sea. He turned around so he could do the same.

"I think that I do owe you an explanation about what happened to my mother."

"You don't have to tell me if it doesn't please you."

"It doesn't please me, but that is why I would like to tell someone. Please hear me out."

Amithriel nodded and settled in for the short story.

"My mother was named Aralias. She was the Lady Galadriel's second and last daughter. She had a free spirit and a will of her own. When she got a marriage proposal from Kind Thranduil (my father) of the Woodland Realm, my grandmother found out and tore it up, saying that Thranduil would only corrupt her free spirit and mind. Lord Elrond who had married my mother's sister Celebrian agreed with her. Thranduil was a horrible man from their stand points, and Aralias could not associate herself with him. My mother disagreed, so she left Lothlorien and went straight to Mirkwood and married Thranduil. He loved her more than anything else in the world, and they had three children: Aria, Legolas and myself.

"The Great War of Gundabad came, and my father and his army went off to war. My mother (being the queen) called the women to come and stand by their husbands as they fought and fight with them. She had to bring the three of us because there was no one left in Mirkwood to watch us.

"She went directly to the main camps and started to help with the wounded. She nursed many of them back to health and if they were strong enough then she would send them to fight, but if not then she would send them to a different part of the battle field which didn't require physical labor. The orcs had managed to maintain a dragon and its fire had somehow come into contact with Thranduil's face. My mother gained knowledge of this news and ran to his side. Little did she know that Legolas had run up right behind her.

"My mother ran through the halls in the large caves of Gundabad, searching of him. She heard a scream and she thought that it was him, but it was not. It was a monstrous hobgoblin named Obkhurg, the one that I fought on the path. He rode through the tunnels on his warg, and spotted a small child in his path. Aralias heard the screams as the orc charged the child. She ran and saw that baby Legolas was in the path, screaming and crying. She hurled herself on top of the child and the warg bit deep into her flesh. She cried out in pain as it flung her against the wall. Legolas ran from her side as she had instructed him to do, but not before he looked back.

"The warg picked her up again, but this time it shook her in its mouth as if it were a rag doll. Then, Obkhurg dismounted the hideous thing and took his sword and put her to an end."

Estaliel started to sob big, round, sobby tears. Amithriel didn't know what to say, so he did the only thing that he knew how to do at the moment; he wrapped her tightly in his arms. She reveled in the feel of his cotton shirt and the strength beneath it. She buried her face into the folds of his long scarf, breathing deeply in the scent of oak wood.

"Estaliel, I am beyond sorrow for you. I am at a loss for words, forgive me," he whispered.

"There is nothing to forgive, Amithriel. I just want to know one thing."

"Anything. Ask me anything."

"Why… why didn't you like to go on adventures when we were younger? I always thought that that was an elf's favorite thing to do."

Amithriel nodded. "In most cases, yes. Many elves savor the fact that they were born for adventure, but I am afraid that even though I was born an elf, I hated adventure for a very long time. My mother took me on a hunting trip when I was about sixty-one or sixty-two. We were going to kill the white stag, and my heart was absolutely set on getting it. We did find its nest, but it had a little one. An unruly student shot at the stag, and it scared our horses. They ran off in all sorts of directions and for days I was lost in that wood. I heard a whistle once, and I ran to it. It was a search party for all of us. They had found everyone but my mother. Ever since then, father had been cruel and conceited. He hit us if we ever mentioned her and sometimes he would hit us just to get pure pleasure out of the feeling that it brought to his fingers and palm. When I say us, I mean my older brother and I. We were best friends growing up. He always looked out for me, and when father began to beat us, he ran away. He always said that he would come back for me, but he never came. I understand and I hope that someday I find him."

Estaliel nodded. "So that is why you never wanted to go tramping around the woods with us when we were younger."

"Yes. It was very hard on me at first, but I managed somehow to get over it."

She nestled deeper into his embrace. "Why does it always seem like the world is coming to an end, but then it just keeps on going? I love living on Middle Earth, but why does everything have to be as hard as it really is?"

"That is a question that may never be answered, if there is ever a time to answer it." He peeled her away slightly from his embrace and looked into her jade green eyes. "But I think that all we need to do now is to embrace the time that is given us. Even if it means fighting our whole lives for the ones we love. That I would do with a willing heart. Look at your mother! She spent the last few minutes of her life protecting Legolas. And why? Because she loved him. She loved him more than her own life, Estaliel. Someone who loves other lives so much more than their own, now that there is the most wonderful person of all. I would give my life in an instant for you or Merry or Legolas or Tauriel or Elrond or even Gimli himself because I think that other lives are worth so much more than my own. My mother didn't die for valor; she died because of another's stupid mistake. But, I will admit that I'd have rather her die and me be able to see her in the Undying Lands than if she didn't die and I would never be able to see her. If she is still alive, then she is forever lost in a maze of trees and mire. No, your mother may've been the best person there was."

Estaliel brushed a tear away from her face. "Then Amithriel, you rank up in the same spot as my mother, if not higher."

Amithriel leaned down and brushed a loose tear on the edge of her face away. "And you, my Estaliel, you are ranked higher in my heart."

"Amithriel," she whispered.

He kissed her so fully and deeply that time that it made the first kiss just a little trifle for the occasion. Did her heart flutter? No. Her heart jumped past six beats at a rapid pace, and then it started to pound like a dwarf with a jack axe. Nothing good ever came out of a dwarf with a jack axe. His hands reached up to go around her neck like a choke collar and her arms went right around his waist. She had never thought that she would be the one that Amithriel kissed, that she would be the one to receive all of his best attentions. She liked him very much, and she had been brought onto the path where she wasn't afraid to admit it.

This was so different from the last kiss. For one, it wasn't as cautious. It was pretty sure of itself. For another, it seemed as if they (Estaliel and Amithriel) weren't afraid anymore. Estaliel's heart was a jumbled mess, but she wasn't scared. Amithriel's heart was in the same condition, but he wasn't afraid either.

He slowly broke the kiss and held her in his arms for a few more seconds before they parted ways. She went back to bed and he stayed up on the deck. Little did they know that the grimy captain of the filthy militia had been watching the whole time.


	12. Pirates and Orcs

Estaliel breathed in gently, expecting to find the soft breeze of the sea, but instead she was hit with the stench of the militia captain, Captain Peters. She forced a smile and turned to him. "Captain Peters," she said. "What a pleasant surprise."

He grinned and rested himself beside her on the railing. "Isn't it though? I thought that you might need some company here, so I decided to come and join you."

She nodded and looked out onto the ocean. "Tell me, Captain Peters, how persistent are you?"

Peters cleared his throat and straightened up. "Well, I like to think that I don't give up until I have it, if you take my meaning."

Estaliel nodded again. "I know exactly what you mean. If you don't mind, I would like to go and get a drink of water on my own."

He gestured toward the cabins as though allowing her to go. As he did so, Amithriel came up from behind him and chuckled.

"Feisty young woman, isn't she? Of course, when I say young, I mean a couple thousand years older than you."

Peters grunted. "Of course. You are aware that I am aware that she is an elf and I expect her to be a bit older than me. Besides, I'm sure she would like a young and hansom man like myself over an overaged wood elf."

Amithriel laughed. "Yes, but she has told me once that she prefers experience above inexperience. Apple?"

The opposite man glared at the elf. "Thanks, but no thanks."

Amithriel smirked at the man right behind his back. "Are you sure? It comes all the way from Lorien."

"Lorien apples are no better than the apples that one would find anywhere else. Now tell me, if you think that you know all about Estaliel-"

"I do."

"If you think you know all about her, why don't you marry her?"

Amithriel paused. "Because love takes more than a number of days, sir. Love at first sight is just a fantasy, unlike you choose to believe. Besides, it is a well known fact that elves are much better with love than any man."

"Oh really?" The man pulled out his sword. "Why don't we put that to the test then?"

He looked from Captain Peters sword to his own sword and back again, and then pulled his out. "Very well. We shall."

Estaliel looked down from where she stood on the deck and gasped at what was about to take place. A crummy man against her beloved Amithriel? She knew that the man would loose, but what if Amithriel got hurt in the process?

"Amithriel," she called out, "please, don't do this!"

He glanced at her and then back to Peters. Peters grinned and nodded slightly toward his sword. Amithriel glared at him and threw down upon the man with a hard blow of the sword. Peters fought back, proving his worth as a swordsman as he fought. Amithriel spun around and let the other sword slice off a part of his coat and he started to fight again. Peters finally started pushing Amithriel back toward one of the sail beams, and when he had the elf pinned up against the back of it, he grinned and with a flick of the wrist made the other throw his sword away. He pulled his sword back to plunge it into Amithriel's chest, but instead it sliced into his arm, because Estaliel had drawn up her sword and ran to Amithriel's rescue. The man dropped his sword in shock as he stared into Estaliel's hard glare.

"Get out of here this instant, you evil mortal!" she whispered.

He shivered under her glare and ran away instantly. She immediately took his sword and threw it over the side of the ship and into the ocean.

"Why did you do-"

"OUT!" she yelled back. He scurried away almost as quickly as a Rhosgobel Rabbit.

She dropped her own sword and went directly to Amithriel. He smiled and nodded once at her. "Thanks."

Estaliel looked up at him and shook her head along with a disapproving look. "You could've gotten yourself killed. That's a nice slice he took out of your arm, and I hope you remember it."

He chuckled. "I assure you that I will," he whispered.

Her eyes showed the sign of a smile, but instead she helped him to his feet. "I'll bandage you up in your room." She walked along side of him as they walked together back to his room.

When they were inside, Amithriel sat on his small bunk while Estaliel got out a kit of medicine from the ship's small apothecary. She seated herself next to him and sighed.

"You might as well take off your shirt," she said.

He obeyed, and once he did, he revealed a strong and broad chest with a few faded battle scars from the past. She held back a gasp at how strong he looked without his shirt, and finally looked into his eyes. His eyebrows raised a bit, and remembering her real duty, she returned to his muscular right arm.

"Thank you, again, for saving me from him, but I was fine without it," Amithriel said.

"Your gratitude is genuine. Amithriel," she calmly said as she applied the ointment, "I owed you back from what you gave me. You've saved me more times than I can pay you back for, and I felt that I owed you something."

"And?"

She paused her word briefly and sighed. "And I - I -"

"You what?"

"I love you, Amithriel, son of Amerithon. If you were to be killed, it would kill me too. I love you too much to let that happen to you. Seeing you in pain even now pierces my heart. I cannot take that. Please don't ever leave me by death."

He took her hands in his and leaned down so that his eyes were right in front of hers. "I swear to you by the land that I was born on that I shall never leave your side by death, nor by life. I would rather face the torture of a million orcs for all of my days than leave you, Estaliel. I love you more than anything in the whole world, and I wouldn't trade that love for all of the pleasures in the world. Believe me when I tell you that I will love you forever."

She embraced him tightly around his neck and he returned the embrace with the wrapping of his strong arms around her waist. He then moved his head while keeping the embrace and then kissed her softly. She returned it and brought one hand up to his hair and began to run through the auburn threads. She felt his stomach tighten underneath her and she moved to a different position next to him. When he broke it, she looked into his deep blue eyes and saw them soften a bit. She smiled subtly and returned to her original seating. She then proceeded to stitch up the gash. He rested his hand on hers while she worked intently. When she was finished, he stood up and walked her to the door. He held her hand the whole way there and kissed it as she walked out of his room.

Estaliel fell right to sleep that night without any problem. She slept beautifully.

No one heard the heavy padding of boots across the deck upstairs. No one bothered to stop sleeping and wake up when they heard the hungry slobber of an orc make its way down to the cabins. And no one was awake when they took the precious cargo out of her cabin.

One orc tripped over a bucket of slop up above, but everyone was so used to noises like that that no one paid any mind if they did wake up.

A pirate coughed twice and stumbled in his drunkenness, but anyone awake thought that it was a man from the militia.

But someone heard the scream from a woman. In fact, the whole ship heard it. They even heard the loud noise of wood against a skull after it. Amithriel was the first one on the deck, followed by Legolas and then the rest of the ship.

They cried her name, until someone finally spotted the ship which wore the flag of the black runes of the Necromancer. Legolas leaned against the railing and screamed her name.

"Wait," cried Tauriel, "screaming for her is no use - she is probably unconscious by this point. We need a plan for how to get her back. Legolas, you, Gimli, and I will take a long boat along with a good half of militia. Elrond, you and Merry take the other half and weave around to their ship on the right hand side. We'll go on the left."

Amithriel tugged on her arm. "Tauriel, what about me?"

Tauriel turned to him and smiled. "I've seen the way you two look at each other and I've seen how you love one another. You're going to go alone and once we're on that ship, you'll go and look somewhere for her. She'll most likely be down below the deck. You can probably find her there."

"But what if she's-"

"Trust me. If I can command a whole elvish army successfully, I can certainly have command over this tiny search party. Now let's go, everyone."

Legolas and Tauriel climbed into a boat with Gimli clambering in noisily. Their half of the army followed them in separate boats. Elrond, Merry, and the rest of the army followed behind. Captain Peters followed them in his own boat.

As Tauriel got out of her boat, she stood up and hooked her fingers around a hook on the side of the ship. Legolas looked at her and she nodded. He nodded back and whistled. Immediately, fifty militia men attached themselves to the sides of the boat and put their hands on the hilts of their swords. Tauriel and Amithriel jumped up onto the deck and the click of their boots told everyone else to come on and draw their weapons. Amithriel glanced at Legolas, who nodded at him, and he ran away.

Almost as soon as Amithriel was gone, pirates and orcs came out of nowhere and started attacking them.

"What are we supposed to do now?" Legolas screamed to Tauriel as he slashed off an orc's head.

"Fight for your life!" Tauriel screamed back.

A pirate came to her and picked her up and threw her down, but Legolas managed to catch her. He set her down on the ground and threw himself at the pirate and managed to slice his sword right through it. She screamed his name as he stepped off of it and he came right to her side.

"I had him, Legolas," she gasped, breathing heavily at the same time. "You didn't have to step in."

"Yes. Yes I did." His eyes burned with a kind of passion and love that she had never seen in them before. "I have to ask you something," he whispered. She somehow heard it above all the commotion.

"Ask me," she replied without hesitance.

"I know that this is all abrupt and that you will never think of me the same way again, but I must ask it all the more. I'm tired of waiting. I'm tired of lying awake at night wondering what your answer will be." He threw his sword onto the head of a drunk pirate, before turning to her and shouting, "Will you marry me?"

A tear marred her dirty face and she brushed her hand against his cheek. "I thought that maybe you'd never ask."

His mouth slowly formed into a wide grin. He then helped her get to her feet and embraced her in the middle of the deck. Elrond saw what was going on, and even though he was rather pleased with himself with the outcome of the events, he had to pull them back to Middle Earth.

"Legolas Greenleaf," he yelled. "What on Middle Earth do you think you're doing?"

The young elf's head whipped around to face Elrond, and his eyebrows raised. "I was just about to go fight, Lord Elrond."

"Then get to it, my boy!"

Legolas smiled back at Tauriel and both went back into action fighting orcs and pirates.

Amithriel had searched every room in the entire cabin area besides one. He opened the door to find Estaliel on the bed, covered only by some thin sheets. She was moaning in a deep sleep and her face was bruised. He gasped and his eyes widened when he saw her. He quickly locked the door behind him and went directly to her side.

"Estaliel," he said, "can you hear me?"

She rolled her head along the pillow, but her eyes slowly opened. "Amithriel," she whispered, "I knew you'd come."

"Can you move at all?"

"A bit," she replied softly but with much struggle.

"How bad are your injuries?"

"Bad enough. Just please get me out of this accursed place."

He nodded, but stopped. "Estaliel, what about your clothes?"

She closed her eyes. "Of course. I'll try to get dressed. You stand guard by the door."

He obeyed and waited with his eyes turned as she slipped with difficulty into a skimpy blue gown. Suddenly, someone began to bang on the door. Amithriel motioned for her to go under the bed, and she quickly went under. He stepped back and let a pirate with a feather hat fly in. He hit the wall, but quickly recovered from the fail.

"Where," the pirate hissed, "did you put her?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Amithriel replied.

The man laughed. "Oh, but I think that you do." He drew his sword, and so did Amithriel. "Are you going to tell me, or am I going to have to kill you?"

"You'll have to kill me," he said with the uttermost confidence.

"It'll be my pleasure." The man swished his sword through the air, giving it a dramatic affect. Amithriel tightened his grip on his sword and braced himself. Before throwing himself at the pirate, he glanced at Estaliel to give her a reassuring look. She brushed away a strand of her bleach blonde hair out of her face and grasped onto the bed so that if it slid she would go with it.

The pirate made a quick slash at Amithriel, but he dodged it. Amithriel did the same thing, but it took out a good chunk of the man's stomach. He bent down in pain, but as Amithriel stood over him, he sliced at the elf's legs. Amithriel dodged these two and managed to nick his hand, causing him to drop his swords. He picked up and pointed them both at the man before slitting his throat. He dropped dead to the ground as Amithriel picked Estaliel out from under the bed. He carried her to the door and out and jumped into a life boat. The extra militia men in the boat began to row as fast as they could until they got back to the ship. Tauriel clutched her new fiance's hand and hard she could. Estaliel lay in Amithriel's arms in pain as he gently whispered reassuring messages into her pointed ear. It was going to be alright.


End file.
